Blind Vengeance
by Pretender Fanatic
Summary: Raph gets to meet Mikey's hero, Daredevil, who teaches him a thing or two about being blind. Meanwhile Cobart is mad about getting his vengeance on the turtles, no matter what. Sequel to Blind Leap of Faith!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Dun Dun Dun! PF is back again! (comes running into view) Hi all! Long time no see! Well it's here! The long awaited sequel to Blind Leap of Faith! Just a warning, Daredevil is in this one and it is a cross over, but if you have never seen the movie all you need to do is go to the store and look at the DVD cover. I promise you I'll take care of everything else you need to know. I'm not doing A/N notes between chapters (yes I'm going to be a good girl and follow the rules.) If you have a question you can review and I'll reply. Thanks for reading and please review! It makes me feel special. Oh and I know I really need a Beta reader so if anyone would like the job please tell me... I could really use the help. Thanks

Disclaimer: I don't own it! Please don't shoot! (Slowly puts down the right to TMNT) I didn't mean to! I swear!

* * *

Darkness reigned in the house. The refrigerator hummed softly creating a quite harmony with the buzzing light above the kitchen sink. Klunk slept in a tight ball on one of the kitchen chairs, waiting for a tired turtle to come and wake him rudely by attempting to sit on him. 

Don laid in his bed in a peaceful slumber. One hand above his head while the other rested on his stomach. His eyes fluttered open. He laid with a puzzled expression on his face for a few moments before he rolled over and felt around for a pencil and paper. He wrote something down, let the pencil drop to the floor, and promptly entered back into the land of sleep.

Mike slept with his blanket tucked up over his shoulder. Partially on his side, partially on his stomach, he tucked his knees up to his chest. An old ragged teddy bear was encircled by his muscular arms. A quiet half snore escaped from his mouth at each in take of air. In his sleep he readjusted his hold on his bear, hugging it closer to him.

Raph laid on his back in his hammock. One leg and both arms spilled over the edge. His pillow had escaped from under his head and had found its way to his stomach. His face was set in a silent grimace. His snout was crinkled a little and his mouth twisted in a frown. His fingers and calves twitched involuntarily as he dreamed of something his mind had conjured up. The twitching in his fingers became more violent and his breathing became more rapid as his dream intensified. His snout scrunched up even more and his frown turned into barred teeth.

_Things surrounded him, preventing him from moving, from fighting. They just stood there, blocking the way, doing nothing but standing there, preventing him from helping his brothers. They were fighting and they needed his help. The screamed as they gave in to the forces they were fighting so hard against. They were being defeated. The needed his help!_

Raph snapped awake with a start. He shot up in his hammock and gasped for breath. Darkness enveloped him. He rubbed at his sweat dampened face as he tried to regulate his racing heart. Taking a long breath, he rocked his head back towards the ceiling.

He tuned in to his music playing softly from his stereo. The deep bass tones of the night DJ were barely audible but it was still there.

Raph moved his head, looking to the opposite side of the room, a dark grey glow was all that penetrated the darkness. It was just a grey spot, the color of steel in the middle. It grew darker as it stretched outward, attempting to penetrate the darkness that was Raph's world.

That grey spot meant a lot to Raphael. He continued to stare at it as he heard the DJ put another song on. That grey spot was all that kept Raph sane sometimes. It was all that was left of his sight. When the lights in the Lair were on it was bigger, turning his dark abyss into a scene of varying shades of grey, but at night it shrank to the size of the small spot on the other side of the wall.

Ever since Raph had gotten some of his sight back he had slept with that nightlight. The darkness was too over whelming with out it. All he needed to make his world bearable was one spot of grey. Just one spot could make it better. When on the off chance that more spots presented themselves it was almost like he was normal again.

Don didn't think so, Don had though that the surgery that Kevin had preformed was a failure. Raph was still legally blind and to Don, that wasn't a successful surgery. To Raph the shades of gray were the difference between night and day. He still couldn't see worth crap but to see a pewter colored blob where a person should be was a miracle for the turtle who thought he would never see again. It was his only connection to the outside world, the world that is, that was sighted.

Raph heaved himself out of his hammock. He tied on his bandanna, put on his belt, and felt his way to the door. One arm passed back and forth in front of his face, protecting his head. The other moved opposite, protecting his torso and warning him of any obstacles. He hardly ever used this method of walking anymore. He found it embarrassing to grope around with his hands out in front of him. In the morning though, when he was tired and he wasn't thinking clearly, he would run into things, so he kept his hands out before him until he got out of his room and into more open space. Then he would use the walls to help keep himself straight as he made his way towards his destination and keep himself from tripping over his own feet in his weariness.

Raph made his way down the stairs. He was wide awake after that nightmare. There was no way he'd be able to get himself back to sleep. After he went blind the nightmares started up. They bothered him a great deal, the feelings of uselessness. They were only thoughts that dwelled in his dreams anymore, but sometimes they'd escape into his conscious mind and it frustrated him to no end.

Raph entered the living room and found his bo staff. He entered the elevator to go topside for a bit. He needed some time to get out and think.

* * *

Leonardo paced back and forth in the living room of their humble abode. The tv blared somewhere in the background of his mind. Mikey was killing brain cells in front of the tube. 

Leo was too angry to sit down and watch hours of mindless TV with him. He could kill Raphael right now. Through all these years, all they had been through, Leo thought Raph would have learned by now. Raph was Raph though and he would always be Raph. Leo forced himself to calm down as the elevator doors opened and Raph stepped out.

"You're going to end up killing someone Raph."

Raph took off his gloves and leather biking jacket and headed towards his room.

"Relax Leo. It's not like I'm ridin' in Times Square."

"What happens whenever a kid steps out in front of you? What happens when you make a wrong turn and ride yourself into a wall?"

"Leo, those streets are deserted. They have always been deserted. The only thing that goes on there is drug deals, and I count alleyways just like when I'm hopping roofs."

Leo threw up his hands.

"Raph, riding the shell cycle blind is just plain stupid."

Raph snorted and took a step towards Leo, his voice raising slightly.

"It's not like I can turn it off and on Leo!"

Mikey poked his head up from the couch, Hey guys come check this!"

"Not now Mike." Raph growled.

Mike turned up the volume on the TV so Leo and Raph could hear it from where they stood.

"On Brown Road, a Cheerio truck was ambushed."

"You're interrupting us for a Cheerio truck Mike?" Leo moved around the wall preventing him from seeing the TV. "Oh. That's bad."

Raph put his stuff down and follow Leo over to the TV.

"What?"

"Now we go live to the scene where our very own Tiffany Wells is interviewing the driver of the truck." The TV news reporter continued to ramble.

"It was big." The driver's voice was shaky. Raph could tell he was startled. "Almost as big as the truck probably,. all green and furry. It stood up and rammed right into the truck! I tried to stop but didn't have enough time."

Mikey stood up. "That's Cokey! I know it was!"

"What?" It had been years since the boys had last seen the green man that Mikey had helped to raise. After they left the farmhouse Mikey had let her free. Every time they returned Mike would look for her but no sign of her was ever found.

"Cokey, she attacked a Cheerio truck. The driver saw her. They're going to be looking for her. I have to go up and help her."

"Relax Mike. I'm sure she'll be fine. She stayed hidden all these years. She's a smart animal. She'll be alright."

Mike turned back to the TV, a not so convinced worried expression on his face.

"Could this be the legendary Bigfoot? Do we now have a sasquatch in New York? Whose to say? Back to you Debby."

Mikey let out a whimper. "Old angry farmers in dirty overalls with pitchforks are going to go rampaging through the woods in mad riots in the dead of night with torches looking for Cokey."

Raph rolled his eyes, a rather odd sight to behold since his pupils were always unfocussed and the act always looked clumsy. "Honestly Mike, it's not that big a deal, now if you'll excuse me. I have to go clean up."

Leo put a hand out to stop Raph, a moot movement since Raph couldn't see it.

"Don't go anywhere. I still need to talk to you."

Raph sighed and turned around throwing his hands up in the air.

"Leo, there's nothing to talk about. I'm riding and that's that. It ain't your choice!"

"You're going to get someone killed, probably yourself!"

"I'm fine Leo! Shell you're so stupid."

Leo caught movement in the corner of his eye. It was Mikey. He was headed for the elevator.

"Mike you can't just go by yourself."

"Relax Leo. Cokey's like a sister or something. I'm just going to go up and make sure she's alright. I'll be gone a few days, tops."

Leo turned back to Raph but he was already gone. He gave a loud exasperated sigh. "Raph."

The elevator doors clicked closed and Leo whipped back around. Mike was gone too. Leo threw his hands up in the air. "It's just not my day." He muttered as he ran off to Raph's room.

Leo stepped in the doorway and found Raph putting away his leather jacket and helmet.

His room was a far cry from what it had been years ago. It wasn't exactly clean but there was a method to the mess. There were more drawers that Don and Raph had built together that lined the walls. Less piles of random things laid around the room although there were still some. Raph had learned the hard way that if he threw things around his room he would never find them again and would have to call one of his brothers to help him find the lost item. After awhile Raph started a system so he could find his stuff without help. His weights and punching bag were over in the corner of the room.

His Braille book was on top of his dresser and his topside cloths, riding gear, and winter outfit all had a different drawer in his dresser.

Raph threw his helmet in the bottom drawer next to his jacket and slammed the drawer shut.

"Leo! Would you just leave me the shell alone!"

Raph's hearing became overly sensitive since he went blind. Even the TV being turned on and the sound turned off bugged the heck out of him. He said there was a high pitched whine he could hear when it was on, but Splinter was the only other one who could ever hear it. When he wanted to, Raph could identify any member of his family simply from their breathing patterns. Leo's was the first for him to recognize. He breathed through his mouth normally. Long, deep, controlled breaths that sounded like a breeze blowing past the mouth of a cave. Splinter's was next. It was about as deep as Leo's but with a bit of a rasp. Don and Mike were the hardest to tell apart. They both breathed in a continuous cycle with no pause in between each breath, a slow in and out through the nose. Mikey breathed slightly faster than Don normally, purely because he was always up, about, and alert to what was going on. Donny's breathing was slower because he zoned out more often.

"I'm not leaving you alone until you stop riding your motorcycle through the city!"

Leo started too get angry.

"Fine then!" Raph moved toward the door which Leo blocked.

"Where are you going?" Leo's voice blocking the doorway caused Raph to stop.

"Out." Raph pushed his shoulder against Leo's causing Leo to step out of the way.

"You just were out." Leo reasoned as he followed Raph out to the sewer access door.

"Well I'm going out again." He pulled on the lever to open the access door. In one smooth motion he grabbed his Bo from near the door and slipped it into it's holder on his back.

The bo served a duel purpose. Not only was it a bo, it was all so Raph's own personal white cane. He had made it himself when they were at the farm. It was a black cherry wood, the wood being dark red in color, stained black with red leather stained wrappings both on the end and in the middle. In his free time Raph had carved Japanese symbols into the wood, letting the dark red cherry colored wood show through, contrasting starkly with the black finish. Raph hardly ever used the bo in battle. It was more of a white cane than anything else although he refused to admit it.

He had stopped using it in the Lair long ago. Once he knew his way around and pummeled Mike a few times for leaving his things lay about where Raph could trip on them.

Leo sighed and turned back inside the Lair. There was no use in keeping Raph from going out. At least he wasn't taking his shell cycle this time. Leo slumped on the couch and resigned to turning on the TV. Two brothers gone, one to North Hampton to search for his pet, the other to who knows where to blow off steam.

Raph had changed a lot since he went blind. He was more careful and deliberate but one thing was for sure, Raph still had that temper he was famous for.

* * *

Raphael closed his eyes and breathed in the heavy scent of rain. It wasn't here yet, but it would be coming. He could taste it. He'd better get back inside before the downpour. Reptilian blood and clammy skin never mixed and normally resulted in colds. 

Raph pushed the idea out of his head though. He was still angry at Leo and if he went back to the Lair when he was angry Leo and him would only fight more.

Raph crouched in the shadows of the corner of a building. He had to be more careful when he went topside now. If someone saw him he would never even know. He was lucky he was allowed to go topside by himself at all.

A child like scream from a few alleys away snapped Raph out of his thoughts. Raph jumped up and ran in that direction staying low and holding his bo in the middle, horizontal to the ground like an Indian carrying a spear.

These rooftops were his home. He knew exactly where to step and how to move to avoid everything on the rooftops. He pole vaulted, jumped, and hopped across rooftops straight to the alley the scream had originated from. He crouched down and listened carefully to the commotion below.

The good thing about most thugs was that they taunted their victims and allowed Raph to pinpoint them with deadly precision. He counted three voices laughing at a girl, a young girl. They always went after the girls. Raph clenched his fists in anger, but continued to listen. Three was too small a group. It was always one, two, or a whole gang of six or seven. The other ones probably weren't talking. Raph moved quickly from the roof to the fire escape leading down into the alley. He landed softly on the top landing and listened again.

The girl wasn't crying. She was probably too young to understand. Raph listened carefully as the thugs drew closer to her. He blocked out the voices though, listening for something deeper, footsteps. Most of the gang members wore heavy boots and stomped when they walked. The sounds bounced off the alley walls, not only telling Raph how many there were, but how far into the alley they were.

Don had helped him master this particular technique not too long ago. They would take trips at night to different places in the city. The docks, the warehouse where the Battle Shell was, a deserted playground, but most often they'd go to the alleys. Don would make a sound and Raph would tell him how far away he was. Sometimes he'd kick a can. Sometimes he'd just hit a pipe. Footsteps were the easiest though. When they kept moving around, the pitches they created helped Raph to get a lock on a person better than something being dropped. Boots weren't as easy to hear as penny loafers or dress shoes, but they worked just the same.

"It's alright kid. We just wanna play a game." The lead thug's voice caused Raph's head to snap up. The girl wasn't moving. She was probably paralyzed in fear.

"Yeah, a game." Another one mimicked.

One of the others chuckled.

Raph growled as he drew his sai and leapt from the fire escape. He had had enough.

* * *

Matt wondered about on the rooftops of New York. It was unfamiliar territory for him and he felt a little insecure. His friend had shown him around, but Matt still held his white cane close. It was more of a weapon than a white cane but a blind man walking down the street alone unaided would raise questions, so Matt used the cane all the time. 

It was an interesting tool to say the least. The cane collapsed inside its own handle to create a baton. The shiny, dark, mahogany colored wood was topped with a silver claw like top. When the top was turned, two hooks shot out and it turned into a grappling hook. When the baton was pulled and twisted it broke into a nunchaku.

Matt had the actual white cane extended now as he picked his way across the roof, which was unusual for him when he was out at night. He was only in town for awhile. He had a job to do though and even though the territory wasn't familiar, that wasn't going to stop him. Matt Murdock _was_ Daredevil. Dressed in his shining red leather, he made his way across the rooftops. He was told that crime in this part of the city was particularly bad. A scream rang out, bouncing off the surrounding buildings and allowing Daredevil to pinpoint exactly where it had come from. Two blocks away, on the street or maybe an alley. He didn't waste any time. Folding up his cane into a baton, he shoved the weapon into a strap on his thigh and took off. It was only a second before he was over top the alley, taking stock of the situation. He perched on the roof edge, his head ducked as he listened to the scene before him. Five people on one side of the alley, men. A child on the other end of the alley, a scared little girl. He could almost feel her heart racing as he heard it pound in his overly sensitive ears. There was something on the fire escape across from him. The heartbeat was odd though, it sounded hallow, like an echo going through a tunnel. The breathing was slow, controlled. He was hiding. Daredevil would take care of him later.

"Yeah a game." Daredevil clenched his jaw and slowly reached for his baton, gripping it in his leather encased fingers.

"We won't tell if you don't." Another thug chuckled.

Daredevil picked up a low growl from the fire escape across from him and the hiss of metal being unsheathed, a sword maybe? The figure jumped from the fire escape into the alley below. Daredevil pulled out his baton and broke it into a nunchaku. He gave it a test swing before jumping down to the alley floor as well.

Raph landed in the alley in a crouch right in front of the little girl. He probably had scared her, but that was alright as long as she stayed still. The hardest thing about fighting blind was making sure that the victim didn't get hurt. The second hardest thing was not letting your opponent know you were blind. Raph squinted his eyes in a glare. If he moved fast enough the thugs wouldn't even know what to think. Listening carefully to where the little girl was, he dove into two of the thugs. A punch to the face dispatched one while a kick in the gut caused another to drop to his knees. Raph heard two run from the alley. He stopped and spun his sai, grinning a Raph like grin. The man was sputtering, he was scared out of his mind. Raph was about to knock him out when he heard a 'woosh' of air from behind him. The child screamed and Raph spun around. Her voice had moved. Someone had her.

Daredevil jumped off the roof and right next to the kid. She was the most important. He had to save her first. He grabbed her and went to dash out of the alley, but the shadow who had jumped from the fire escape turned on him. Something came at his head and he ducked. In one quick movement he moved the child to the corner of the alley and blocked a strike from the shadow attacker.

Raph sheathed his sai. He couldn't afford to hit the kid. He moved a quick side step to his right and tried for a roundhouse kick to the thug's back. The thug blocked it with a bo, nunchaku, or maybe a jo staff. Raph tried for an elbow to the face and was rewarded with a grunt. He didn't hit his face though. He had hit his upper back. The man was probably six foot or so, and what the shell was he wearing?

"Cindy? Cindy!" An obviously distraught mother called out on the street side of the alley. Footsteps could be heard as she rushed towards her daughter. Daredevil moved to get himself between the mother and the shadow attacker. It was fine for the mother to take her kid but he didn't want her hurt in the process.

Raph had also heard the footsteps. He felt the wind move and knew that the last attacker was moving for the kid again. Raph briefly allowed himself to wonder where this last attacker had come from. There had been five thugs. This one was number six. He swept his feet out from under him and grabbed a hold of one of his ankles. He swung him around to the other side of the alley, slamming him into a dumpster.

"Mommy!" At the sight of her mom the kid seemed to come out of her trance and began to cry. The mother swept her up and carried her out of the alley, both sobbing.

"So you like to torment kids huh?" The last attacker had moved out of his weapons range and Raph tried to provoke him to talk so he could get a lock on him. The rain Raph knew would be coming started to threaten. Thunderclouds rumbled above, making it hard for Raph to hear. This fight had to be finished quickly.

"What are you? A lackey? They didn't think you were good enough to get some so they made you stand watch?" Daredevil taunted back.

Raph straightened up some out of his fighting stance in confusion.

"What?"

His lack in focus cost him as it always did. A strike to the chest sent him across the alley way and into a wall. He winced as he felt the wall crumble a bit on impact. It only took another second for Raph to put two and two together.

"Wait!" He barely dodged a blow meant to screw up his face. "I don't think we should be fighting each other!" Daredevil landed another hit to the side of Raph's head. Raph lost track of him completely when a lighting bolt ripped through the sky followed by the loud crack of thunder. The ruckus covered any noise the last attacker could possibly make. Raph went from offense to completely defense once he realized this last attacker wasn't an attacker at all but possibly another vigilante. "Will you just wait a minute?" Raph yelled as he blocked a mad series of punches aimed for his head and upper torso.

The thunder rolled again as large fat rain drops started to fall from the sky.

Daredevil didn't even hear Raph's growls of protest. He was so overcome by fury. Thugs made him mad, especially, child raping thugs.

The rain drops falling didn't even register until they became heavier. The sounds of rain drops falling on the ground and other objects bounced off objects. All the miniscule water droplets and the sounds they created enabled Daredevil to almost see things with his super sensitive hearing. As the rain grew heavier the image before him grew clearer. A round head appeared first. Then arms crossed in an 'x' covering the face appeared. Three thick fingers were on each hand. A hard disk like shape rested behind the neck and six square plates protected the chest and stomach. The figure was seated where he had fallen when Daredevil had started really laying it on. He raised his head slightly when the onslaught stopped suddenly. A round face without a nose and bearing a wide mouth greeted him. Soft cloth covered his eyes in the form of a bandanna. Daredevil backed away from him a step.

"What the hell are you?" The odd heartbeat of the shadow attacker echoed in his ears.

Raph heaved himself up off the alley floor slowly. "Not a pedophile." He muttered as he brushed crude off himself. "I think we need to talk."

"That would be an understatement." Daredevil continued to stare at the thing before him. "Are you some sort of alien or something?"

Raph stopped trying to clean himself off and looked up. "We've been fighting for how long and you just noticed? I'm a turtle." Raph corrected. "Come on. Let's get outta here. The cops are gonna be here any minute." Raph sprang for the fire escape and Daredevil followed. They reached the roof and Raph pulled out his bo staff. This particular rooftop housed a good number of the neighborhood pigeons. Raph needed his bo to avoid stepping on any of the birds.

Daredevil converted his jo staff back into a white cane. Raph started out across the roof, tapping his cane from right to left. Daredevil followed but he only made it two paces before Raph turned on him.

"Who the hell are you?" Raph growled. All he had heard was the 'shing' of Daredevil's white cane as it unfolded. He had thought it was a sword but when he went to swipe the weapon from his hand Daredevil gave his white cane a twirl, moving with Raph's swipe and back around so the weapon was in front of him again, protecting his torso. Raph tried for a careless over head strike and Daredevil caught it with his cane. Raph's confusion only grew when his bo struck another bo.

Daredevil tried to sort things out as he stood with his bo above his head. This shadow attacker mutant turtle hadn't actually looked directly at him since the rain had started to fall, and when they got on the roof he had used his stick to sweep in front of him, tapping right and left to confirm that the path was clear.

"You're blind?" Daredevil's voice was something between a question and a statement.

Raph pushed the bottom of his bo forward slamming the end into Daredevil's ribs.

Daredevil doubled over, the air forced from his lungs. Before he could react, Raph swept Daredevil's feet from under him. He jumped on Daredevil's chest and went for a choke with his bo. Daredevil got his hands on Raph's bo, pushing up only slightly released the pressure on his throat.

"Yeah, what's it to ya?" Raph growled.

Daredevil still couldn't seem to get adequate air into his lungs and he coughed and choked as he answered.

"Me too."

"Blind?" Raph lightened up the pressure he had on his bo slightly.

Daredevil nodded.

"My name's Daredevil."

Raph laughed and shook his head.

"You've got to be shitting me." Raph released his hold on his bo and offered Daredevil a hand up. "That is seriously the lamest excuse I have ever heard."

Daredevil took the offered hand up.

"Now if I pick up my cane are you going to attack me again?"

"Depends on whether you come at me with it or not."

"Well I didn't in the first place so you don't have to worry about that."

"Daredevil" Raph muttered to himself with a snort and a bit of a laugh as he shook his head. "So why were you in that alley?"

Daredevil shrugged. "Probably the same reason you were."

Raph stayed quiet for awhile before he snorted again. "So you're in the whole get up? The red costume, the horns, everything?"

"Last time I checked it wasn't a get up, and who walks around in a big turtle costume anyway?"

Daredevil had decided the mutant like creature was probably just a human in disguise.

"You'd be surprised." Raph muttered.

They fell silent as they crossed the rooftops. Raph considered getting in out of the rain but this new vigilante intrigued him too much. He'd probably be sick by tomorrow.

"So how did it happen?"

"Huh?" Raph shook his head and tried to pay more attention.

"You're blindness, how'd it happen?"

"Oh, flash bomb to the face three years ago plus bad retinas and a lot of hits to the head."

Daredevil grunted.

Raph listened to the rhythmic tapping of Daredevil's cane moving back and forth. He had stopped using his bo after he got back into familiar territory. He tapped the handle of Daredevil's cane with a free hand.

"I thought you didn't need that when it rains."

"This isn't exactly my territory and I'm still trying to get my bearings." Daredevil explained.

"Well come on." Raph jumped on to an AC unit.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"You want to get to know the city right?"

"Yeah," Daredevil responded slowly, a bit of skepticism in his voice. Raph grinned.

"Well there ain't nobody that knows the city better than me."

Raph took two steps and launched himself off the air vent, with an artful somersault in the air, he twisted and landed on the next roof sprinting.

Daredevil shrugged before hopping on the same unit and following after Raph.


	2. Where's Mikey

Leo emerged from the manhole and pulled his trench coat tighter around his large frame. He turned the collar up and gave his fedora a tug. The wind coupled with the rain sent a cold shiver down his shell. He had only decided to go out and look for Raph after he heard the rain pick up its tempo. Knowing Raph, he probably got himself in some sort of trouble.

Leo scaled the fire escape that led to the roof. There were only a few places Raph frequented when he was mad. Leo would check all his favorite hangouts and hopefully be back inside before the storm got much worse.

Hunching his shoulders over more to ward off the bone chilling wind, Leo ran off in the direction of the Ghetto. When Raph wanted to bash heads that's where he'd go.

* * *

"So… where we at?" Daredevil asked once Raph had stopped moving so fast.

They had come off a building, now on ground level. He walked side by side with Raph. The rain was still coming down heavily, enabling him to 'see' that there weren't very many people around.

"The harbor." Raph answered.

"It's the only other _good_ goon bashing spot in the city."

"Good meaning…" Daredevil trailed off.

"Good meaning you can be a five foot talking turtle, beat the snot out of some thugs, and nobody cares."

"Oh, and the other _good_ spot would be…" Daredevil trailed off again, allowing for Raph to finish the sentence.

"The ghetto." Daredevil nodded, figures. "I'm assuming you're looking for heads to beat in wearing a costume like that."

"Mine's not a costume." Daredevil growled darkly.

"Neither is mine." Raph shot back.

Daredevil paused and thought about it for a second before shaking his head.

* * *

Leo watched on as Raph hopped from roof to roof. His vision was blurred due to the downpour, and Raph could only be seen as a dark green fuzzy blob in the distance. Leo's eyes flicked to the right at another movement. This blob was a dark red in color. He skipped from roof to roof, about twelve feet behind Raph. Leo tensed at the thought that his brother might be being trailed. Raph's figure stopped and waited for the other to catch up. Leo's anxiety sky rocketed. The figure definitely wasn't Casey, or anyone they knew for that matter. His brother had befriended someone else, and knowing what kind of people Raph hung with, Leo shivered. He could make out Raph pointing down into the alley and the other figure nodding, then they disappeared over the roof edge. Leo scrambled after them, he was quite a few roofs away and it took him a few seconds to get there. When he got to the roof, he jumped as quickly as he could over to the ledge and looked down. Raph and this man were engaged in combat, though not with each other. They were actually fighting together, they stood against a gang, probably the mafia, Leo figured.

He hated when Raph decided to beat down the Mafia thugs at the harbor. Mafia meant less fists and more guns. Raph didn't guard himself very well against guns. He and this other mystery man seemed to be holding their own though. Leo sigh. There was no use in fighting with Raph here. He might as well go home and wait for him.

Leo backed away from the ledge of the roof and moved back the way he had come.

* * *

Raph spun his sai and slid them into his belt with a deft flick of his wrists.

"Now that's the way you kick some scum bag butt."

Men in black suits were strewn across the alley.

"So, who did we just beat up?"

"The Mafia." Raph answered mater of factly "or at least part of the Mafia."

"Oh, that would be a good thing."

"Yeah," Raph shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. He had been out in the rain for awhile now. He flipped the cover open on the Braille watch that Mikey had gotten him three years ago and felt the raised bumps.

"Oh man. My family is gonna be wonderin where I'm at. It's late. I gotta go."

Raph held out a clenched fist and Daredevil bumped it against his own.

"You put up one heck of a fight. Uh… I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Raph, Raphael."

"Well nice to meet you Raph, and I guess the turtle costume isn't all that bad."?

"Well I guess the same goes for that suit you go prancing around in."

Raph grinned and bounced off up to the roof, leaving Daredevil to tie up the unconscious.

* * *

Mikey shut off the shell cycle's engine and put down the kick stand as he stepped off. He observed the dirt and mud covering the body of Raph's beloved motorcycle. Raph would kill him when he found out Mikey had taken his bike, but Mikey's was broken and he needed to go up and find Cokey. Mikey took his helmet and jacket off. Hanging them from the crud covered bars he moved onto the house porch.

He bent over with a groan, his muscles were stiff from the long ride up. Reaching under the welcome mat, he pulled out the house key. Casey could be so cliché sometimes. He stood up with another groan and slowly arched his back before fitting the slightly rusty key into the tarnished brass lock. He heard the tumblers click half way into place, then stop.

"Stupid door."

Mikey turned the key back and forth without success. He gave the door a whack and surprisingly the tumblers fell into place. Mikey gave himself a pat and opened the door.

Even though it had taken place three years ago, the old farm house still showed some scars of the fight that had taken place with in it. The window pane next to the stairs was cracked and repaired with cocking. The whole back wall facing the door was riddled with bullet holes. They hadn't even tried to remove the tiny shards of metal from the wood. Deep cuts were scored into the wall, floors, stairs, and banister from the many weapons that missed their targets. Mikey was thankful that there wasn't less of the marks. Don and Raph had both been seriously injured in the fight. He wasn't there for half of it, but the living room held the proof that is wasn't pretty.

Mikey shuttered and closed his eyes. Don still had the scars on his plastron where the cracks had healed. When he had fallen out the second story window onto the pavement below, he was lucky the cracks hadn't been any longer. The scars were two long lines stretching across his plastron. They rose up from his plastron slightly. Every once in awhile Mike would catch Don touching them unconsciously.

Mikey blinked and shook his head. That was a wacky time, three years ago. He climbed the stairs and entered the first bedroom he came to. It was normally Casey's when they all stayed here together, but when it was just his brother's and Master Splinter it was Mikey's room. He dumped his knapsack on the bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. The trip on the long dirt road left his legs caked with mud and dirt. He let the cool water stream over his head and down his shell.

He'd need to get some pistachios. Cokey liked them more than Cheerios anyway. A Cheerio truck? All this time and Cokey finally gets sighted flipping over a Cheerio truck? It didn't make sense to him.

He shut off the water and grabbed a towel from the cupboard. Toweling dry, he slung the towel over his shoulder and went down the stairs into the kitchen. Opening all the cupboard, he didn't find what he was looking for. Straightening up, he put his hands where his hips should be.

"No pistachios. Well, I guess I'm just going to have to go shopping!"

Throwing the towel off his shoulder, and grabbing his gear, he ran out the door. He only got to the porch before he turned around, ran back into the house and grabbed his topside cloths. Jumping on Raph's shell cycle, he started it up and went on his way to the store.

* * *

"That'll be $18.26." The register dinged and Mikey produced the require cash. He watched outside the store front window. A bunch of people had gathered across the street. They looked angry.

"What are they doing?" Mikey gestured over to the mob.

"Oh them." The clerk rolled his eyes. "They're all going to look for that big foot thing.

"They look mad." Mikey voiced aloud.

"Probably are." The clerk responded.

"Are they holding pitchforks?" Mikey's voice rose an octave.

"Probably" the clerk responded nonchalantly.

"Uh, gotta go. Thanks." Mikey took his bag and change and walked out the door. As he exited the store, the voices of the small mob reached him.

"And we'll kill the monster to protect our wives when they are home alone and our kids when they play outside!" A loud cheer erupted.

"So much for putting off looking for Cokey until morning." Mikey muttered.

* * *

Mikey was completely decked out in hiking gear. He had his back pack and his water, his flashlight, his potato chips, and his pillow. The five pound bag of pistachios was weighing him down but he fought gamely on. He'd need them when he found Cokey.

"I guess this'll make a good campsite for tonight."

The sun was starting to set and the temperature was getting colder.

Mike set down his back pack and started riffling through it.

"Let's see here, fire. I need some fire."

He found two sticks and a pile of other branches and cleared a spot on the forest floor. He sat cross legged and rubbed the two sticks together. Twenty minutes later, he was still at it.

"Stupid sticks." He muttered. "Oh wait! Flint and steel!" He went back through his pack and pulled out a can of fruit. Kicking leaves around, he found a rock and banged the two together until the can had a sizeable dent in it and his fingers were sore.

"That always works in the movies!" He whined. He dumped out his pack and looked for something else he could use. "I'm saved!" He yelled as he held a box of matches high above his head.

He went back to his circle he had cleared of leaves and sat next to the little fire pit he had prepared. Taking out a match, he struck it against the side of the box. The small splint of wood burst into flame. "Ha!" Mikey shouted triumphantly. His quick expel of air caused the tiny almost non existent flame to blow out. "Hey!" Mikey's eye ridge furrowed as he glared at the singed splinter. "Alright, we're gonna try this again." Mike grumbled to himself and he fumbled to catch another match between his thick fingers. Striking the match on the side of the box, he almost yelled again when his little light of hope appeared. Letting a little giggle slip forth he held the flame to his pile of sticks and leaves. The flame promptly went out. "What?" He yelled again in exasperation. "Stupid little bits of wood. That's it!"

He produced three matches and struck them repeatedly against the box until they erupted into flame with a 'psst.' He quickly grabbed up a dead leaf and held the flame to it. When the fire caught he held it to the rest of the pile of leaves. Adding a few sticks, he whooped as they caught fire too. "Ha ha ha! Take that you wimpy sticks!"

He dragged his pack over to him and pulled out his severely dented can of fruit. A bag of chips added to the mix created his supper.

He added more wood to his fire and observed the darkness just beyond his ring of light.

It looked like more than just darkness. It wasn't like the darkness in the city. In the city you could step just around the corner and the darkness would be no more. A street light would be there to light the way. In the forest, just beyond the darkness, was more darkness. There was no escape. Once it was night it was dark and there would be no relief until morning.

That must have been what it was life for Raph when he first went blind. For the first months he couldn't see anything at all. He had told Mike once about how the darkness was absolutely suffocating. It wasn't until after Cobart had attacked them at the farmhouse that Raph had surgery done by their new family friend, Kevin. He was still legally blind, but Raph thought it wasn't that bad. Don thought the surgery was a failure but Raph had corrected him. Apparently Raph could now see in shadows if the light was bright enough. The surgery had been done too late to restore real sight, but what Raph did get back was a welcome relief. It was so great a relief, that Raph had stolen Mikey's nightlight and now slept with it in his own room.

Mikey stared out into the darkness once again. It must have been terrifying to live in that day in and day out.

Raph's blindness was still a big issue in the Lair even after three years. He didn't like anyone treating him any different because of it and it anyone did they got an ear full about it.

Mikey fished the last piece of fruit out of the can. He brought the metal can up to his mouth and tipped back his head, draining the can of the sweet fruit syrup.

He dug through his gear some more until he found his drawing pad. He pulled it out and flipped to a clean page. There he started to pencil in the image of himself by the fire.

Those farmers were really angry. Cokey probably didn't even turn the Cheerio truck over on purpose. What would they do if they found her before Mikey did? They'd probably kill her. It seemed like something out of a movie. Farmers with pitchforks and torches. Why would they even want to go after Cokey? It wasn't like their wives and children weren't safe before. They were fine before they thought they had a 'big foot' in their woods. Cokey was only a kid. She was what, only maybe five years old? She didn't deserve to be hunted like a monster. If a human with a gun came up to her she'd probably jump on them and try to play with them. Mikey was to blame for that. He was the one that taught Cokey not to fear other living things. If she got hurt it was going to be because of him. Mikey sighed. He had to find her.

Leaning his shell against a tree, he tilted his head back and watched the stars. The crickets were chirping all around him and peace reined. This was the life.

* * *

Leo was tired. He had already had one fight with Raph today and he wasn't looking forward to his second. He had long since given up pacing and had resigned to stretching out along the length of the couch on his shell. His head rested on the arm rest and his arms dangled over the rest next to his head. He swung his arms back and forth in boredom. The tv was turned on, but the volume was low. Master Splinter was already in bed for the night and Donny probably was too. It was three in the morning and Raph still wasn't home.

Just as Leo's thought drifted towards his wayward brother, he head the sewer entrance door open and close. Raph padded right past Leo, heading for the bathroom in search of a towel.

"Who was that you were with tonight?" Leo asked. His tone was flat. He didn't even bother to get up from the couch or even to lift his head.

Raph spun on one foot as if he had expected Leo to be there.

"Should have known that Fearless would be spying on me." When Leo didn't say anything in response, Raph answered his question "He was a blind guy. I was helping out."

Raph wasn't about to tell his brothers that he had met Daredevil. They'd think he was psychotic. He'd just keep that little fact to himself right now.

"He said he was blind and you believed him?"

Leo flipped over onto his plastron, his arms were under him. He used his elbows to prop himself up. His voice had taken on a cynical tone.

"No Leo, I believed him cuz he had a white cane and he was using it like a blind guy."

Raph continued on his way to the bathroom. Leo got up and followed him.

"How could you be sure? What if he's a Foot spy?"

"Leo relax, I know he's not because, I know he's not alright? Leo paused and cocked his head to the side, trying to figure out what Raph just said. "It's not like I'm ever gonna see him again. I was just helping him out."

"So he said he was blind and you just automatically offered your helping hand?"

Raph emerged from the bathroom with a towel. He was freezing from the cold rain water still on his body. He fought to keep his teeth from chattering. His voice rose an octave. Leo was starting to get him mad.

"You're twisting my words Leo. It didn't happen like that."

"No, you just befriended a total stranger!"

"That's how you make a friend Leo! They're strangers to start out with."

Raph toweled off. He fought to suppress the fit of coughs that were threatening to erupt from deep inside his lungs. The warm air made his throat burn. He was definitely going to get a cold.

"We can't really afford to make a lot of friends Raph. You especially!"

Raph spun around, his eyes alight with anger. He may have been blind but his eyes still spoke volumes when he was angry. Right now they were all glittery and wide, a sure sign that Raph was about to lose it. He opened his mouth, but the ringing of the shell cells halted whatever he was about to say. Raph and Leo both pulled out their shell cells.

"What?" Raph growled venomously into the phone.

"That's how you greet a long lost brother?" Mikey's voice came through the line.

"You're not long lost Mike. You left to go find your pet." Leo wasn't quite as angry as Raph but his voice still had a bite to it.

"Well does that at least make me the prodigal son?"

Leo rolled his eyes.

"Talk to Don." He closed his shell cell and placed it back in his belt.

* * *

Don stumbled over to his computer chair. Slumping into it, he propped his feet up on his desk and hung his head back. He tiredly picked at the corners of his eyes. He had been sleeping when Mikey called. "What's up Mike?" His voice was still a little scratchy with sleep.

"Nothin much. I just wanted to make sure no one died or ran away or killed anyone since I've been gone."

"No. None of that has happened, at least not as far as I can tell." Don seemed to wake a little more after these last words. "Wait, Mike you've only been gone like ten hours."

"Yeah," Mikey's words were long and drawn out. "Geeze Don, It's freaky out here! I just can't sleep. How's Leo and Raph. Are they still fighting?"

The splintering of wood sounded throughout the Lair. Raph and Leo's voices had risen to yells. Don winced.

"Yeah, I think so."

Another crash could be heard from the Lair living room. Don slumped his head. He'd probably be fixing whatever they broke tomorrow. It didn't sound like they had trashed anything electrical yet though, which was good. If they broke some piece of furniture then Raph would normally help him fix it the next morning. That was, is he was in a better mood.

"Hey," Mike tried to lighten up the mood a little. Don never liked it when his brothers fought. "At least it's not as bad as it used to be."

"Yeah, instead of the whole Lair getting trashed every fight, it only gets trashed every third or fourth fight." Don sighed.

"It's only cause Raph is afraid of making a fool of himself and that Leo will take him down without batting an eyelid."

"Leo only takes him down easy if he plays dirty."

"And he only plays dirty if he thinks Raph needs to be taken down a notch and has a lesson to learn."

Leo playing dirty consisted of him using strikes he knew Raph had a hard time blocking, like stabs.

"It's been a long time since they had last had a fist fight." Don commented.

"Yeah, when was the last one? Like three months ago?"

"No, I think it was more like four." Don corrected. "So how's North Hampton?"

* * *

Raph let out short snorts as he and Leo rolled around on the floor, hands locked together. They took shots at each other as fast as possible. Ninjitsu tactics weren't really used, it was more of an all out scuffle. Leo rolled on top of Raph and Raph brought his leg up to his chest. Kicking out, he caught Leo a powerful blow to the plastron that sent him stumbling backwards into the coffee table. Leo growled and went into a head long charge. Bent low, he caught Raph's legs in a hug and tripped him up.

Raph felt all the air being expelled from his lungs as he fell to the ground.

"Halt!" The short sharp tone echoed through out the Lair. Leo and Raph froze mid brawl. "What is the meaning of this?" Splinter's tail flicked from side to side.

* * *

Matt climbed in the open window. He turned and quickly shut it again before anymore of the rain made it in.

He took off his mask with a deep breath and shook his hair. Even with the rain his outfit was still rather warm. His hair and face were sweat soaked. He made his way to the bathroom and turned on the hot water in the shower. Taking of the rest of his gear, he stepped into the blissful peace of warm steam. The water streamed down his neck and chest. He tilted his head up towards the life giving heat and closed his eyes. He rolled his shoulders about as he tried to stretch our the knot in his shoulder blades.

He hadn't had a fight like that in a long time. Raph had really done a number on him. All his muscles ached and he was sure he had a few good bruises. He had to admit though, it felt good to be in a brawl where he did more than pound the snot out of a single low life street punk.

Matt turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and grabbed another one to towel off with. He went into his room and found a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. Doning them, he went back into the kitchen, still drying his hair with one of the towels.

Peter was there. He was cooking something on the stove. It smelt like stir fry.

"Hey. How was your night?" Pete asked as he removed the pan from the flame.

"Great. Your's?"

"Mediocre." Peter answered.

Matt got into the fridge and pulled out a jug of iced tea. He poured a glass for both of them as Peter prepared their plates for dinner.

"We're weird, eating dinner at 3 in the morning."

Matt smiled. "Yeah but then we get to sleep until noon."

"_You_ get to sleep till noon." Pete corrected. "I have to get up and go to work in five hours, then everyone is going to think I'm stoned or something because I can't keep my eyes open."

"Yeah well get to bed early tomorrow."

Pete brought the dishes over and set them on the table as Matt sat down.

"Chicken and rice stir fry at seven, peas at eleven."

Pete quickly told Matt where his food was on the plate. Matt had told him about the little trick for communication long ago when they first met. It involved the plate representing the face on a clock and the food being at different hours.

Pete was quiet for a few minutes as he focused on the meal.

"Thanks for helping to clean up the crime around here Matt. This neighborhood was getting to be really dangerous."

"Hey no problem Pete. It'll be no time at all before these punks learn to fear the name Daredevil"

Pete continued to talk but Matt wasn't listening. He had tuned his friend out and instead was focusing on his own thoughts.

"Hey Pete, have you ever heard of a mutant turtle vigilante" Like a guy that runs around and protects the helpless?" Matt interrupted.

Pete gave a bit of a snort. "Well yeah, but they've never been considered vigilantes. They're one of the side stories that get run in the tabloids. People that say they've seen them and stuff. Some say they are aliens that prey on the homeless. Others say that they are escaped government experiments. Some people even thing they are a lechness meets Bigfoot kind of deal. I donno, I've never believed in them. If they were real you think someone would have gotten a decent picture by now. Besides people have sighted them everywhere. They said they were up in North Hampton and everything."

Pete pushed himself up from the table. "I'll be right back."

He came back moments later riffling through some papers of some sort. "Here are some old tabloids. They've been running the mutant turtle story when they've got nothing else to write about." Pete snorted in contempt. "Filthy tabloid writers. They don't even deserve to be called journalists. Here." He began to read one of the articles he found. " A witness says that he was saved from a brutal attack by a turtle monster. When questioned he stated that the monster was green in color with textured skin, but he couldn't say much else. A gang attacked him, said the witness, and the monster attacked them and brought them all to the ground. "And after they were down he turned on me! I barely escaped with my life!"

Pete slammed the magazine down on the able. "See? It's a load of rubbish. If that thing could take down a whole gang single handedly then one guy wouldn't have been able to escape when he was the only one standing."

Matt nodded absent mindedly and smiled to himself. "Yeah" In his head though he was running through the fight with Raph. The guy took out five thugs, fought him, and helped to beat up the mob. It seemed completely possible that he could fight a whole gang single handedly.

"Anyway, I'm going to bed. If I don't get some sleep now I'll look like a raccoon tomorrow."

Matt let a soft 'hmm' pass through his lips as a confirmation, but stayed seated at the table.

He was going to stay up a little longer. He had some investigating to do.


	3. Return of an Old Foe

The next morning Leo and Raph still weren't talking. Practice was tense and Mikey wasn't there to lighten the rather heavy mood. As a result the morning katas and sparring sessions were carried out in relative silence.

Leo sat at the kitchen table glowering at his soggy cereal. Every few minutes he would take his spoon and poke at the floating morsels. It took him even longer to actually take a bite. A scowl was seemingly etched upon his face. His brow was furrowed in silent concentration of something unseen and his fingers kept flexing around the spoon he held.

Raph stalked into the kitchen after having just gotten his shower. An advantage to Mikey being away was that everyone got into the shower quicker. Raph also sported an angry face, although it looked more natural on his hard features. His jaw was set and his eyes still held some of their angry fire. He went to the cupboard and ran his fingers along the edge of the top shelf.

Braille strips were located there stating what was located in that spot. Don had introduced Raph to the idea long ago when he first went blind.

Raph still couldn't read much Braille and he all but gave up on reading for recreation. The Call of the Wild book that Don had gotten him had been abandoned. He knew enough to get by and that was it. The sugar, the salt, and almost everything in the kitchen were labeled with the series of raised dots.

He found the off brand frosted flakes and brought them down. He ran his fingers along the jars on the counter and found the sugar. Fixing himself a bowl of cereal, he sat at the table opposite Leo. Leo glanced up and glared at Raph. It wasn't a hateful kind of glare. It was more of a thoughtful glare. Raph tilted his head down and spooned the sugary flakes into his mouth, not even bothering to acknowledge Leo's presence.

Leo took another glance at Raph. He pushed his chair purposefully away from the table with both hands.

Raph pretended like he didn't even hear the scarping of the wood against the floor. Leo got up and put his bowl in the sink. He stalked towards the shower. Raph pretended like no one had ever been in the kitchen.

The elevator doors could be heard grating up then closed again.

Casey could be heard letting out a loud yawn from the main room. Raph imagined he was probably stretching too. Ten in the morning was too early for the vigilante to be up and about. Raph put his bowl in the sink and went out to meet his friend.

Leo stalked across his path and caused Raph to stop short. Raph growled but said nothing.

Casey cocked an eyebrow. "What's up with you guys?" He asked as Raph headed back toward the elevator.

"It's just Leo being his stupid self." A loud snort could be heard from the direction Leo had gone.

"Oookay." Casey wasn't getting into this one. "I guess it's one of those brother things."

"Yeah." Raph snorted.

* * *

Leo looked up from his reading when he heard someone enter the room. It was Raph again. He watched as Raph went over and grabbed his bo from the doorway.

Leo sighed silently to himself. He opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. His eyes followed Raph from the doorway to the elevator. Leo wondered how Raph could possibly stay out so long. He had been out all day with Casey.

He watched as Raph stepped into the lift and left. Shaking his head, Leo went back to his reading.

Raph folded his arms over his chest as he waited for the elevator to reach the warehouse. It surprised him that Leo hadn't said anything when he went by, but that was alright with him.

The doors hissed open and Raph stepped out. He stalked over to where his bike was.

_One two three four five…_ Raph counted silently to himself. It became a habit of his to count his steps. His whole life became numbers after he went blind. So many steps here, another so many to get there. Now he counted silently in his head weather he needed to or not.

Raph placed his hand on the bar of his shell cycle.

Wait a second.

Raph waved his hand around in empty air. Where the shell was his Shell Cycle!"

Raph yanked his bo out of its holder and quickly searched the area it should have been. Then realization struck.

"Mikey." He growled with a menace. He searched the rest of the garage and found the other four shell cycles as well as the battle shell. Mikey took his shell cycle! "Oh he is so dead!" Raph spat as he marched out of the warehouse. "He is so very dead." Raph clenched his fists and headed directly for the rooftops. He would have to settle for a little patrolling tonight.

He hit the rooftops running, still silently counting.

_One two three four five…_

He stepped easily into the rhythm he had created,

Seven eight step jump 

The numbers ran through the back of his head as he took a flying leap to the next roof. He happily listened to the change of wind resistance as he flew over open space. It provided him a small sense of satisfaction when he could sense such things. It made him feel secure.

He briefly tuned into the cars whizzing by on the streets below.

_Seven eight nine ten jump_

He launched himself off the next roof.

A semi was just turning the corner of sixth and seventh. A car slammed on its breaks on the street below him.

Five six jump 

Raph's feet hit the next roof lightly.

On the roof in front of him someone was moving about. The scrapping of gravel alerted him to the human. He was loafing around, not doing much of anything on the forlorn rooftop.

Raph quickly altered the course of his nighttime run with an expert twist on the ball of his foot. He made a full ninety-degree turn and leapt off the side of the roof. He spread his arms wide and landed on the next roof with bent legs. His feet and shins tingled uncomfortably from the impact, but it was a sensation he had long gotten use to.

Nine ten one two jump 

His feet landed on the flat surface with a soft slap.

The sound of his landing echoed back to him, but wait. There was nothing on this rooftop for a sound to echo like that, and the pitch was all wrong. It hadn't been made by his own feet. Within a split second he flipped over backwards off the roof, pulled out his shuko spikes, and clung to the wall. The sound rang out again. This time Raph identified it as a pair of heavy boots. A rather loud clomping sound was produced as the figure moved about on the roof. The pitch of the noise was familiar to him. Raph smiled a knowing grin and snorted at his own stupidity. He climbed back up the wall and removed his shuko spikes. Raph folded his arms over his plastron.

"We have got to stop meeting like this," Raph joked.

Matt's head whipped to the right where Raph was standing.

"How'd you do that?"

Raph adopted an air of smugness. "I'm sneaky."

"But I didn't even hear you."

"That's the point. You up for some head bashing tonight?"

"I don't head bash." Daredevil retaliated. "I protect the innocent from the guilty."

Raph waved his hand. "Yeah, same thing. Just outside of Central is always a good place to go on Friday nights. Drunks and maniac depressives wander outside the safer city limits and get themselves mugged."

"Aren't drunks and maniac depressives responsible for a lot of crimes?"

Raph shrugged. "Sometimes, sometimes they're just lonely business men who were walked out on and need to drown their sorrows in a few pints. Some people get angry and like to wander around by themselves."

"Like you?" Daredevil inquired.

Raph cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm angry?"

"Well you have been out alone for the last few nights until the wee hours of the morning, and I know you have a family because you said as much. Nobody goes out alone like that that much if they aren't angry. Well at least not in this city."

"I'm just a loner alright? So are we gonna go beat some muggers up or what?" Raph growled.

"Yeah," Daredevil sighed. "Let's go. Lead the way."

* * *

Raph dropped down into the alley. His feet hit the trash laden floor with a slap. This time the sound echoed off the closed in alley walls. Raph straightened up and folded his arms across his plastron. A smug grin played its way across his face. He listened carefully to the sounds around him. Some grit shifted under the weight of a boot. A smoker was trying his best effort at breathing quietly. A short chain was just taken out. It had a length of maybe two feet with large links.

"Dragonface." Raph's voice was laidback with a hint of sarcasm. "Long time no see!"

Dragonface snorted in contempt proving to Raph that is was in fact the Purple Dragon leader in front of him. Dragonface sniffed loudly and spat on the ground. "Daredevil meet Dragonface. Dragonface, Daredevil."

Daredevil took one step out of the deep enveloping shadows. Half his head appeared, the horns and the red leather coupled with a confident smirk caused for a terrifying sight. The dark night clouds blew slowly across the moon, once again shadowing his grim set features.

"What? You brought another freak?" Dragonface spat on the ground again. "Stinkin' circus side show we have going here boys."

He rattled the chain at his side partially for intimidation but mostly for his own comfort. The other gang members muttered in agreement.

"Why don't you put that stuff back and we'll call it even?" Daredevil said from somewhere in the shadows in front of him.

"Yeah, we'll just let out off with a spanking." Raph's voice had moved to the front of the alley. A few of the gang members whipped their heads around in fear. They had heard of the legendary turtles but had never fought them. They fingered their weapons protectively as their eyes shifted from right to left.

"Go mind your own business freaks." Dragonface growled.

"This is my business." Daredevil growled back in equally menacing tones. He moved out of the shadows with slow confident steps as he spun his extended jo staff. His boots clomped like heavy horse hooves as he moved closer to the gangs' impending doom.

Dragonface sneered and whirled his chain around in circles.

"Alright freak. Come and learn your first lesson 'bout messin wit the Purple Dragons!" His voice rose to a roar. The gang members behind him, their attitudes bolstered, shouted and shook their weapons violently. With a shout or rage Dragonface swung his weapon full force at Daredevil's face.

Daredevil's jo staff shot up. The chain snaked around the staff tip. Daredevil smiled and shook his head. He gave his staff a yank, pulling a surprised Dragonface forward. At the same time he pushed the opposite tip out, slamming it into Dargonface's stomach harshly. The gang leader's breath was ripped away from him with a whoosh. He quickly recovered though and as he straightened up he moved for a quick upper cut to Daredevil's stomach. His fist connected solidly but the tough red leather softened the blow, only causing him to let out an 'uh!' with surprise.

On the other side of the alley, Raph grabbed two of the newbies by their shirt collars and yanked them into the shadows with him. Smacks and thwacks followed. He emerged from the shadows. Stepping over the bodies as he brushed off his hands. hHe held his arms wide.

"Who's next!" He roared as he dared them to come forward. Raph felt the whoosh of an object.

_Head height. Thick. Bat_.

Lighting fast he crouched down and brought his sais up in an 'x' around the bat handle. With a flick of his wrists, he sent the bat flying. He rocked back onto his shell and gave the thug a solid kick to the chest. The thug flew across the alley and slammed into a dumpster.

_Two guys coming up behind him_.

Raph continued with his roll and popped up into a hand stand. Shooting his feet out he caught both men, bowling them over. They sprung back up and Raph was ready. From his handstand he twisted, coming down facing them.

Daredevil finally dispatched Dragonface. No one else really seemed interested in fighting him. They were all going after Raph. Raph seemed to be handling them alright though. A few of the gang stood back, seeming a little hesitant about getting into a scuffle with a Turtle.

_A click_.

A bullet settling into the barrel of a gun.

_Click Click_.

The hammer pulling back the firing pin lined up directly behind the primer.

"Raph move!" Daredevil shouted even as he made a mad rush for the man with the gun. Raph's head also snapped to the left when he detected the awful clicking sound of the gun. Daredevil's warning rang out almost simultaneously. Raph's blood pumped faster in his veins. He had only a split second to wait, but it seemed like an eternity. The loud crack was made ten times louder by the close proximity of the walls. Daredevil gritted his teeth and threw his hands over his ears, the cacophony assaulting his hyper senses with a vengeance. Raph was already moving. He ducked and rolled to the side a fraction of a second before the bullet exploded out of its steel prison. The sharp impact forced him out of his roll and bowled him backward.

Daredevil just made it to the gunner and struck him a tremendous blow across the head with his nunchaku. The thug crumpled in a heap on the dirty alley floor.

Raph's anger levels went off the charts. He had just been shot! Gone was any pain he might have felt. It was replaced by the blinding wrath that was Raph's bad mood. He whipped his sai from his belt and stabbed the nearest hoodlum. He fought madly, whirling from right to left. The gangsters got in quite a few hits but Raph hit right back. By the time they were all on the ground Raph's body was covered in cuts and bruises, all of them minor. Raph stood, breathing heavily, sai still gripped tightly in his hands, arms tensed at his sides. Daredevil shifted unevenly from foot to foot.

Raph growled and whipped around, his sai coming at warp speed straight for Daredevil.

"Woah! Raph it's me!" Daredevil shouted as he ducked and hopped back at the same time.

Raph pulled back immediately, his eyes wide with the prospect of nearly cutting his new friend in half. He quickly stashed his blades.

"Oh man D. Geeze, I'm real sorry man." Daredevil stood again when he realized Raph wasn't going to maul him to pieces. Raph rubbed a hand over his domed head in stress. "Geeze, I could have just killed you." He shook his head and gritted his teeth. "Damn it!" He turned and kicked out at the side of a near by dumpster in frustration.

"I told you you were angry."

"Yeah," Raph snorted. "Now I am! That happens way too much." He paced back and forth, growling loudly in frustration.

"Hey, just let it go. That kind of thing happens."

Raph growled again as he picked at the bullet hole. He was really lucky it just hit his carapace. A large half moon now peaked its way over his right shoulder.

"Damn." He muttered again as he ran his finger over the new scar. "Nicked my shell."

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Cuts and bruises."

"Come on. I'm staying at my friend's place. You need to get cleaned up."

Raph spit cleaned an abrasion on his elbow.

"Nah, I've dealt with worse."

"Alright." Daredevil said as he started walking away. "I could help you with that whole attacking your own people thing."

If Raph had ears they would have perked up.

"What? What? Hey, what'd you just say?" Raph followed after Daredevil as he climbed to the roof.

"I've just had that problem before is all, you know attacking the people you don't want to attack. I worked on it and figured out a method that works pretty good."

"Well in that case, lead the way." Raph took his bo staff out. Daredevil took out his own cane, bumping his elbow against Raph's side. Raph took the signal and took hold of Daredevil's shoulder, allowing Daredevil to guide him.

* * *

Daredevil emerged from the bathroom with a bottle of peroxide and other first aid objects.

He handed the brown bottle to Raph.

"Peroxide." He said as he also handed him a wash cloth. "Anything else you need?"

Raph shook his head, then after a second verbally said no. He smiled to himself, knowing how angry he got when his brother shook or nodded their heads and didn't say anything. He was doing the same thing to someone else.

Raph opened the bottle of peroxide and wet the rag with a bit of the solution. He dabbed at a few of the bigger cuts. The fiery liquid stung his flesh. He continued to dab, knowing it would get rid of the germs and prevent infection.

"You said you knew how to avoid attacking innocents." Raph started, trying to get Daredevil to talk.

"First you got to answer something for me."

Raph immediately went on guard, but on the outside he continued to dab casually at his wounds. He didn't like giving out information to anyone.

"Like what?"

"Like why do you do it?"

"Do what?" Raph asked again.

"Every night you go out and protect the helpless. You all put your lives on the line for people you don't even know."

"You said you all. I never told you my brothers come with me." Raph's guarded tone made it clear he was becoming suspicious.

Daredevil winced and sighed. He hadn't expected to give up the game quite so early.

"Last night I came home and did some research about you."

"Research how?" Raph interrupted, his voice remaining guarded.

"What?" By now Daredevil was thoroughly confused. He didn't understand Raphael's sudden suspicion.

"Research, it's not like you can look in the newspapers or tabloids."

"Yes I can." Daredevil got up and brought his laptop over to the coffee table.

"IntaneExpor." A monotone voice spoke at seemingly warp speed. It was so fast Raph wasn't sure he had even heard anything.

He heard Daredevil click something and another spew of warp speed words followed in the same monotone voice.

"What the heck was that?" Raph asked after he was sure he had heard it.

"My computer." He answered. "It's how I read newspapers and tabloids and anything else I may want to look up.."

The speed talker's voice made itself known again. This time Raph concentrated harder and could make out the lightening fast words being spewed from the speakers.

"FavoritesAddFavoritesEditFavoritesLawTheConstitutionMutantTurtles."

"The computer reads anything my cursor runs over. When I type it repeats what I type so I can make sure I didn't make any mistakes."

"Cool." Raph leaned forward in fascination. The more he listened to the voice the more he understood.

Daredevil clicked on the Mutant Turtle link. The voice stopped it's word onslaught in mid phrase. After the page loaded it started up again just as quickly.

Daredevil clicked on the Mutant Turtle link. Raph listened as the computer recited an article, he assumed from a tabloid.

"You actually believe that?" Raph asked once the computer was done.

"Well I was reading other articles and you can guess by a lot of the similarities what is real and what's not."

"Like…"

"Like there are at least four of you who fight a lot of people at once really well then disappear without a trace. You do the whole help the helpless thing too."

Raph nodded his head.

"Well you forgot the fact that the other three are my brothers and we were trained by our father in the art of Ninjitsu."

"Making you ninjas?"

"No, it makes us fairies." Raph answered sarcastically. " We practice the art of staying hidden so lots of times we see things go down and we just do out part to stop it."

"Well that makes sense."

"So what about that thing about not attacking innocents?"

"Okay it's like this. Let's say that you're the victim and you're standing over here…"

* * *

The man smiled a sickly smile as the clip clicked into the chamber. Brownish yellow teeth set between cracked white lips. The lips pressed together at the man spit a glob of spittle on the already shining steel barrel. A greasy rag buffed the metal to a healthy shine. The buffer let a sound faintly resembling laughter rumble out from deep within his stomach. It bubbled out through his fat encased throat into his tarter filled mouth. A gurgle was a more accurate word for the sound produced.

The man had already cleaned all his guns twice yet he started cleaning them over again. You could never be too prepared.

He wasn't prepared enough last time and he had been defeated. It wasn't going to happen again.

His eyes glittered with death as he thought back to that fateful night. He had been brought down. He had been defeated, beaten, bruised, just like any other man. He had gotten cut, and he had bleed just like any other man out there that night. As he lay injured and bleeding he thought. Those turtles, those turtles had tired to treat him like any other man. Those turtles made him fail a mission, his only failed mission ever.

He had healed from his injuries, and while he healed he had plenty of time to think and to plan. Oh yes, he had a plan, and no one was going to stop him.

His eyes glistened with hope. Yes, they would be tortured. He would do it himself, slowly ever so slowly. Then they would die, but that red turtle. That red one would suffer even more. If he had just stayed still and died all the fight would have been taken out of the other ones. That rat, that rat needed to suffer too. He needed someone to care about and take care of. The man would take that way from him. He had it all planned out. He heaved his heavy frame up and shouldered his gear. With a grim nod to himself he headed out the door.

Cobart was going back to New York to kill the turtles.


	4. Friends Again

"Don't look at me like that." Mikey glared. "Look," he reasoned. "I invited you to lunch and I feed you and that's it. You don't get anymore."

Large, sad, pleading eyes stared back at him.

"Oh fine. Here have it."He pulled out a marshmallow and flung it away.

The squirrel chattered in appreciation as it grabbed up the tiny treasure of food. He packed it into his cheeks and scampered off.

"That was my last marshmallow!" He called back to the greedy animal. The squirrel chattered in response from his spot in a large oak tree. Suddenly the tiny animal's head snapped to one side. His already saucer like eyes grew two sizes wider. He whipped around and scampered off with his tail high in the air.

Michaelangelo went on alert the second that the tree fox sensed something. It was another few seconds before his less sensitive ears picked up on anything. There was the crunching of leaves. The sounds of each leaf disintegrating beneath a heavy shoed foot were few and far between. Whoever was in the woods was trying to be quiet.

Mike shot up the same tree the squirrel had just been in. He didn't have the same lighting quick speed but dexterity was on his side. In a split second he was up the large oak tree and hiding among the branches and leaves. It was another few minutes before the other people made themselves known. They each held a gun of some sort, their hands clenched tightly around the machines of wood and steel. They seemed nervous but determined. It became clear to Mike that they were hunting for Cokey.

He placed a hand on a nunchaku as they crept past, seriously considering the option of taking them out. They weren't bad though, just misguided. He waited in the tree until the farmers had been long gone. Then he climbed back down.

If there were more people in the woods looking for Cokey, he had to find her first. Mike hefted his pack more snuggly across his shoulders and picked up his pace. He had to find Cokey tonight.

* * *

Daredevil laid back on the coach, his feet propped up on the coffee table and his head rocked back. A can of root beer was held loosely in his right hand, resting on his belt. He still had his suit on but he had taken off the mask awhile back.

Raph sat, still investigating the computer. He had long ago asked all the questions he wanted to with Daredevil. Daredevil had showed him a few tricks to help him fight.

"So, how much can you see?" Daredevil asked.

Raph took a sip of his own can of pop. "Enough, I can see in shades of gray. I know there is a light on that side table over there, that there is a florescent bulb in the kitchen probably over the sink, that I am sitting on a love seat, and the coffee table this laptop is sitting on is about two feet wide."

Daredevil nodded. "So can you see colors?"

Raph shook his head. "Not really. The sun looks red and bright lights look a light gray or white. I can't see any sharp details and anything farther than two feet in front of me is pretty much hopeless of identifying. It's really all varying degrees of gray. How about you?"

Daredevil snorted. "I can't see crap. I have to rely completely on my other senses."

"So you can't even tell when you're looking at the sun or whether you're in a dark room?"

"The accident with the radio active chemicals left my pupils clouded over. It was so severe that no light is let through the lens now. I can tell where the sun is by the heat but I can't see it."

Raph nodded. They dropped into silence for awhile. Raph fingered the new chip on his shell.

"I could have ended up killing you tonight D."

Raph leaned back loosing interest in the computer.

"But you didn't. Besides I don't kill that easy."

"But I could end up doing it again."

"We fixed that though, remember?"

"Yeah." Raph sighed. "But there's still that chance though ya know? Like I might end up hurting someone. I don't fight as much as I used to."

"Well wouldn't that be a good thing?"

"Not if I can't help my bros in a scrape. I used to just let my brothers handle it. I was more of a hindrance than a help. The only way they could talk to me was by actually talking and that often times gave away out position."

"So what'd you do?"

"We use sign language. Leo, my brother, he started it. He was watching some show on TV when I guess it suddenly struck him…

_Mikey hung his legs off the arm of his Sensei's chair._

_"Board board I'm so board." He hummed in a sing song voice. "Don are you done yet?" _

_He arched his back. Rolling back his head he stared upside down at his brother who was seated on the coach watching the television. Don continued to stare at the TV ignoring Mikey completely. Mike let out a loud sigh and continued to sing to himself._

_Don rolled his eyes frustration and glared at his brother. "Mikey! Would you quiet yourself! I'm trying to watch this biography here." _

_"It's in black and white." Mike whined._

_"They're real life photos."_

_"They're boring!"_

_"It's an important part of American History!" By now Donny had forgotten about the show and was more interested in defending his love for the biography channel. Mike snorted. _

_"It's old people talking about nothin. Hey, what's on Cartoon Network?"_

_He made a move for the remote and Don protested loudly._

_"Hey! I was watching that!" Don jumped up and chased Mike who was already running around the room with the control._

_In the dojo Leo rolled his eyes. _

_"You guys can be so immature sometimes ya know that?" He wondered closer to the living area to enjoy the ensuing fight. He leaned against the back of the couch and watched Don yell and scream at Mikey. Those two didn't fight very often but when they did it was guaranteed to be funny. Leo smiled and shook his head in wonder. Brothers. He turned his attention to the TV program the dispute was all about. There was a little girl on the screen tottering around on unsteady legs. She stumbled about with her hands waving in front of her and her head down. Leo had seen those kinds of mechanics before. The girl was blind. A boring documentary voice droned on behind the picture._

_"But Ms. Sullavin refused to give up on her one and only student. Even though Helen was deaf and blind Ms. Sullavin found ways of teaching her. She would make Helen touch an object then she would sign the word of the object into her hand."_

_Leo watched as the girl's tiny hands rammed into something. She felt it all over and pushed an open palm into seemingly no where. The women next to her came forward and pushed her own hand into the little girl's. The lady moved her fingers about in some sort of pattern. The little girl smiled. She patted the object she had just touched and moved her fingers about in her mentor's hand the very same way. _

_"Through sign language Helen was able communicate with the sighted world."_

_Leo's smile disappeared, as he became entranced with the show. There was a triumphant shout from behind him and the TV suddenly changed channels._

_"Hey! Turn that back!" Leo snatched the control off Mike lighting quick with the authority of any leader. He switched the channel back but they had cut to a commercial break._

_"Don who was that?" _

_"Helen Keller." Don answered as he settled himself on the couch again._

_A huge grin split across Leo's face and he threw his head back._

_"Raaaph! Hey Raph!" He practically skipped off to Raph's room._

_Mike cocked an eye ridge in suspicion at his older brother. "What's wrong with him?"_

_Don shrugged._

_Leo hopped up to the second floor and burst through Raph's bedrooms door._

_Raph stood in the corner knocking around his punching bag. He let his hands fall as he hung his head back. A soft sigh of frustration escaped his lips._

_"What?" _

_Leo snatched Raph's hand up. He flipped Raph's palm upward and quickly signed into it, meanwhile practically dancing with excitement. _

_"What the shell are you doing Leo?" Raph accused as he pulled his hand away. _

_Leo snatched it back with that silly grin still plastered all over his face._

_"Feel."_

_Leo repeated the movements more slowly into Raph's palm._

_"Stop. Take two men and go west. Yeah so?" Raph felt the movements Leo used and recognized them as Army signals. _

_Leo stayed silent for another minute, allowing what Raph just experienced to sink it. When it was clear that it wasn't going to he sighed. Practically bouncing on his heels he waved his arms about._

_"Raphael think about what you can do now." _

_Leo took his hand again and signed more messages to him._

_Slowly as Raph comprehended the messages Leo was conveying, a smile spread across his face as well._

_"Does this mean…"_

_Leo nodded his head up and down as he practically shouted. _

"_Yeah it does! It does!"_

_Raph's face adopted the very same silly grin as he squeezed Leo's hand in excitement. _

"_Sensei!" He roared as both brothers went tumbling out of the room and towards the stairs. "Sensei! Raph can come on patrol with us again!"_

Raph chuckled to himself.

"Ya know, I think Leo was happier than I was when he figured that out. Before we did that I could go topside but couldn't do any serious missions or really help out in a fight. I'd end up giving away our position and messing things up. That night Leo and I went out practically looking for a fight."

Raph shook his head.

Brothers.

* * *

Mikey let out a sound half between a sigh and a shiver. He rubbed at his well muscled arms and observed the rapidly growing darkness around him. It was getting too late to be walking around in the woods and the temperature had dropped quickly as the sun went down. He would have to stop and make camp for the night.

Mikey dropped to his knees and cleared an area for a fire. He shivered a little from the cold as he pulled out his matches. Silently he kicked himself for not bringing a sweater. It was getting well into the fall season and Mike knew the temperature would only be getting colder throughout the night. The wind that had been blowing steadily throughout the day hadn't helped any. Mikey pulled a match from the thin cardboard box. He struck it against the side of the box and muttered darkly to himself when it burst into flame only to blow out. Mike was in a dark mood, well as dark of a mood as Mikey could be in. Not finding Cokey that day had only made him rather cross. He took out another match, then another, and another. Each match let a small flame of hope glow momentarily, taunting the green humanoid, before it would sputter out. Mikey cursed as another match sizzled out between his fingers. He slid the box open once again and slid his fingers into the box. Nothing. He had run out of matches.

"Oh no." His tone was that of disbelief. He pulled the cardboard box the whole way out of it's cardboard cover and turned it upside down in his hand. Nothing. He dumped his pack out and riffled through all his things one by one. Nothing. "No, no no!" Mikey mumbled, his voice growing louder and more frustrated at each affirmation. He found his shell cell and punched in a number.

Donny picked up the phone. Mike cold tell by the sharp, biting tone in Don's voice that he had interrupted him in one of his projects.

"Donny!" He grasped hold of the phone with his other hand. "Donny I was walking through the woods and these farmers went but looking for Cokey and I know I had to hurry up and find her so I walked farther than I should have and it got dark and I got matches but I don't have any matches now. It's cold out and Donny I'm gonna die!" The whole account tumbled out of Mikey's mouth like a water fall. Don was hard pressed to even be able to comprehend what Mikey was spewing forth. Only the last part came out crystal clear. Mikey was panicking.

"Alright Mike. Just calm down and give me a sec."

Mikey closed his eyes and tried to control his steadily increasing heartbeat. Over the phone he could hear Don tapping at his keyboard.

"I'm going to freeze to death out here Don." Mikey whimpered.

There was silence from Don for a few seconsd before he chuckled. "Relax Mike. It's only going to go down to forty five degrees tonight. You'll be cold but you wouldn't die."

"No Don! It's cold! I'm gonna be discovered as an ice cube out here a millennium from now! They're going to have to thaw me out and.."

Donny rolled his eyes.

"Good night Mike."

Mikey nearly screamed as he heard Don cut the connection.

After a few seconds at staring in disbelief over his brother's utter aloofness, he put his shell cell away with a sigh. If Don said he wouldn't die then he wouldn't die. He curled up beside his unlit fire and hugged his pack close. He shivered a little as he closed his eyes and attempted to drift into the land of slumber.

* * *

Mikey sighed as he rolled over and snuggled deeper into his blanket. He should really get up and start looking for Cokey, but he was so cozy he really didn't want to move. Mikey slowly opened his eyes and moved his arms above his head in a stretch. His hands collided with something warm and soft. As his eyes focused Mike became aware of the greenish brown fur that surrounded him. Untangling himself from the lanky limbs he squealed in surprise and delight.

"Cokey!"

He threw himself at the green animal, wrapping his short arms around her as far as they would go. He embraced her in a big hug. "You're alright!" he reached into his belt to find some pistachios. It was empty. "Hey." He gave Cokey a mock glare. "You took my nuts!" He turned and bent over his pack to get out some more.

Cokey let out a cry and pounced on her adoptive father's back. She was bigger than Mike had remembered though and her weight brought him to the ground. His hands lay out before him and his eyes grew large as the air was forcibly expelled from his lungs. Cokey got up with another happy cry and beat her balled fists on the ground. Mikey groaned as he rolled over holding his stomach. "Ow." He pushed himself up with another groan and muttered weakly. "Cokey, you got a tad bit bigger."

Over the past three years she had grown to be about Mikey's height. She obviously hadn't forgotten her foster parent because she danced circles around him, hopping and pounding her fists in the leaves.

Mikey chuckled despite the ache in his chest.

"Come on Cokey. We got to go have a talk." He held out a handful of pistachios, which Cokey took eagerly.

Mike held some more in his fists and walked in the general direction of the farmhouse.

It took Mikey all day to hike out of the woods with Cokey in tail. The afternoon turned out to be a rather hot one despite the previous cold night. Mikey had a bead of sweat forming along his brow as he stepped clear of the woods and into the farmhouse backyard. Almost as soon as he had time to take stock and look around he stepped back behind the wood line pushing Cokey back with him. There was a car in the driveway, a hunter green SUV. It was mud covered from the long trip down the dirt road. The car wasn't April's and it wasn't Casey's. Mikey emptied his belt of the rest of the pistachios that he was carrying and deposited them in front of Cokey who munched on them contently. He carefully pulled a nunchaku from his belt.

"Stay here Coke. I'll be right back."

He crept forward in a stealthy silence that only a ninja could achieve, across the yard and toward the farmhouse.

Mikey crouched below the kitchen window seal. Ever so slowly he lifted his head, peeping into the house.

He almost gasped aloud as he saw the owner of the green SUV parked out front. He thought for sure that Cobart was dead, yet here he was in flesh and blood. Mikey watched as he ransacked the house. He clenched his jaw as he gripped his nunchaku tighter. This man was an assassin, a mercenary out for hire. He had almost killed Raph, and Don had been seriously injured in that fight. Now he was ransacking the farmhouse.

Mikey released his other nunchaku from it's place in his belt. Giving them both a test swing he started to rise form his crouch. This guy had to be taken care of before he did anymore damage to the family. Mike got up and slunk around to the back door near the kitchen. He just turned the corner of the house when he saw Cokey come lumbering toward him.

His eyes grew big and he prayed that Cokey wouldn't make any noise. She was rather mouthy and any sound at a time like this could leave them both bullet ridden. He glanced back at the house, trying to decide between Cokey and bringing Cobart down. With a silent sigh Mikey placed his weapons back in his belt. He rushed over to Cokey and grabbed a hand full of her thick green fur as he led her back into the woods. Once they got to the safety of the woods Mike sat down on a log. Cokey flopped down beside him. Mike gave her a few strokes along the back.

"This isn't good Cokey. This isn't good at all."

* * *

Cobart frowned as he kicked over the couch. With a sweep of his arm he cleared all the pictures off the mantle. He crouched down, shouldered his gun, and sifted the pictures from the broken wood and glass. Most of them were pictures of who knew who, but one had the turtles, his arch enemies, as their focus. All four of them were there, one sticking out his tongue, two more smiling broadly with their arms slung around each others' shells, the other rolling his eyes and trying to hid a smile. The one turtle, the red one, had his eyes focused on the camera. He hadn't always been blind Cobart reminded himself. The picture had been taken at that very same farm house. It was no use to him. He dropped it back onto the floor and continued his search. Cobart moved up the stairs and into the first of the bedrooms, his M-6 locked and loaded safely in his hands. A knapsack. He up turned it and dumped out its contents with the tip of his gun. Someone was here. He immediately went down into the kitchen, regretting all the noise he had made. Cobart yanked open the fridge, nothing. He went over to the sink, it was dry. With a frustrated growl he spun in a circle. Whoever it was had been gone for a few days or at least hadn't used the kitchen for awhile. He stalked out of the house and headed toward the barn. He slammed the butt of his gun against the long bolt holding the door closed. The rusty latch grated open and Cobart leaned against the huge door, sliding it open with his body weight. He slipped into the barn and allowed himself a grin. A motorcycle, one mud covered motor bike. Cobart slipped his knife out and chipped some of the mud from the body. The thicker parts were still wet. He hadn't been here long. They had no food though, they'd have to leave for town. He'd find them, but the fight wouldn't go down here. No, there were too many bad memories here. He'd follow them back to their underground Lair. Then he would put his plan into motion. They would die. Yes, they would all die very slowly.

* * *

"Mikey your cat just knocked over and broke a whole rack of my test tubes." Don growled into the phone.

"Some greeting. Wait don't respond to that. We've got other things to worry about. Guess who came to visit me, probably with the intention of killing me today."

"Angry farmers."

"No."

"Touch and Go."

"No."

"Bishop, Kirai, Shredder, that Australian Hunter Guy, The Garbageman?"

"Boy, we have a lot of enemies don't we? No, no, no, no, and no."

Don took a breath, intending on continuing the list. Mike broke in.

"I saw Cobart. He was sneaking around. I think he's looking for us."

"Oh boy." Don rubbed at the two scars that stretched their way across his plastron. He vividly remembered that night in his mind. He had two ugly reminders etched in his chest.

"Where is he now?"

"Well he was snooping around the farmhouse, probably looking for clues about us. I was gonna take him out but Cokey, oh yeah. I found Cokey. Anyway, Cokey came out of the woods and I didn't want her to give us away so I left."

"Is he gone now?"

"Yeah," Mike sighed. "But that might not be a good thing."

"Well do you want us to come up to you?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I want to spend a bit of time with Cokey and if you all came here then Cobart might find the lair and wreck it too."

"Okay, but be careful Mike."

"Yeah, you too bro."

* * *

Cobart loafed in the back of the convenience store Mikey had been in two nights before. He slowly paced past the glass doors as if trying to decide which beverage to buy. In his peripheral vision he kept an eye on the cashier as she rang the last customer out. Taking his time, he strolled up to the check out.

A young smiling teen with a square pin attached to her shirt reading Molly leaned against the cash register. She flashed her pearly white teeth at him and Cobart immediately labeled her as a ditsy blonde. Despite his thoughts on her though he gave her a civil nod in return. He placed his purchases, a bag of beef jerky and a sports drink, on the counter. She proceeded to ring them out. Her eye brows crinkled in puzzlement as she glanced up at his hard features.

Cobart had a boony hat on to cover his bald, scared head and soften his murderous attributes. His guns he reluctantly left in the passengers seat of his SUV parked outside.

"I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new to town?" Her voice was that of an inquisitive child. This would be too easy.

Cobart leaned on the counter nonchalantly.

"Nah, I'm actually here looking for someone. Do you know who owns that big run down farmhouse on the east edge of town there?"

"The Jones farm?" She hit the total button and Cobart gave her a ten dollar bill. The cash register drawer dinged and she was silent for a second as she calculated his change. "I think Casey owns it now. Why do you ask?"

Cobart shrugged. "I was just thinking about buying it. When I went by he wasn't home though. Do you know where he might be?"

"I think he has an apartment in New York City. He only comes up every now and then. I wouldn't be sneaking around there though if I were you. He's a bit of a grouch when it comes to people snooping around his place." She gave Cobart his food and change.

"Thank you ma'me." With a nod and a tip of his hat he was out the door.

Cobart allowed himself a quick half smile as he headed out the door. On his way to his SUV he dumped his purchases in a garbage can. He climbed into the cab and drove off.


	5. Rumble in the Jungle

A/N Sorry about the long wait guys. Wow, it's been what...a year? I have excuses, but let's not waste anymore time. The important thing is that I'm back and I'm ready to start pumping out chapters again!

* * *

Leo shuffled into the living room with a soda in each hand. He sat on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. He bumped Raph's arm with one hand and Raph reached out to take the can.

On the TV a man screamed. Raph winced.

"That's gotta be the best scene in the whole movie." Leo surmised as he watched the battle before him.

Raph who had also already seen this particular movie shook his head. "No way bro. The best part is when the Scottish rebels beat the English army's butt.

Leo nodded. "True, that is a pretty good scene."

"Then there's the end where Wallace gets executed screaming freedom."

"Yeah, yup. That's defiantly a great scene too."

They were silent for awhile as they both listened to the movie play. After another few minutes Raph flipped open the cover of his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. Leo watched as he put his can of pop down and headed over to the door to retrieve his bo staff.

"You've been going out an awful lot lately."

"What else am I supposed to do since Mike stole my bike?"

"Just be careful."

"Don't worry Leo. I'm just going to the edge of town to take on the whole Purple Dragon gang by myself." Raph smirked.

Leo snorted. "Okay."

Raph waved to Leo and hit the button for the sewer access door. "See ya." He disappeared into the tunnels and Leo turned his attention back to the movie.

It was only another few minutes before Don emerged from his room.

"Where's Raph?" Leo looked up and noticed the pensive look on his brother's face.

"He just left. Why?"

Don's worried expression increased slightly.

"We need to talk to him. Cobart is back."

* * *

"This is a pretty lousy hideout." Daredevil whispered. 

Raph crouched next to him, listening to the gangsters below him moving boxes. Raph almost winced when he heard Daredevil's voice. He whispered back in an even softer tone. "Looks like they're planning on moving out."

Daredevil nodded. "Well let's go get some stolen merchandise back."

"Hey Ant. Hurry it up with those boxes there! We gotta move this stuff out by tonight." A short man, no more than five four in height waved a gun about in the air, motioning his friend to get moving.

Another man, Ant, grunted under the heavy load he was carrying.

"Shut yer trap. You want it done faster then why don't you help?"

"Cuz, I'm the watch out."

"We don't need a stinkin watch out dumb ass. This is _our _hideout."

"Hey!" Another man approached carrying more boxes. "Why don't you both shut yer yaps and get workin or I'll kick both yer asses. "

The shorter man who had been sitting on a pile of crates near a half loaded truck hopped down to the floor.

"Geese Bruno. What's wrong wit you?"

Bruno glared at the little man, the snake tattoo twisting up around his neck bulged as his thick face grew red. He dropped the box that he had been carrying to the truck.

"You're my problem you little good for nothing lazy piece a shit. Ya always stand around and act like your guarding something!" As Bruno got angrier he stalked forward and grabbed the short man by the collar. The man tried to shrink away from Bruno's grasp. Bruno snatched him up into the air and held him high above his head.

The short man squeaked. "Ant! Help me!"

Ant leaned against a stack of boxes. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I'd like to Joe, but Brun has got a point."

Joe tossed terrified eyes from Ant back to Bruno.

"Come on man! I got a bad back! I can't do that heavy lifting kind of stuff!" He tried to shrug as best he could while dangling in the air.

"Bad back my ass." He grunted as he threw Joe to the ground. Joe rolled over onto his back. His eyes grew wide as he looked up at the ceiling. Bruno came toward him again and heaved him up.

"There isn't anything for you to watch out for shit head."

"Except that." Joe pointed up into the rafters. Bruno turned around and looked up. The silhouette of a man could be seen crouching in the shadows above. The ghost of a figure stood.

Bruno allowed Joe to drop to the floor.

"Who the hell does he think he is?"

The figure just stood there watching. With a growl of annoyance Bruno reached for his switch blade. With a flick of his wrist he snapped the blade out. He drew back and let his blade fly at the figure perched on the rafter. At the very last second the figure moved. His own hand snapped up and caught the blade out of mid air. Bruno's eyes widened. He stared in shock as the figure sent the knife flying back. The next thing Bruno knew he was on his knees screaming as fiery pain ripped it's way through his shoulder. He yelled and grabbed his shoulder. His hand came away painted in thick sticky red blood.

"Huh," A grunt came from the shadows. "You'd think a big guy like that could take a little blood loss."

The two remaining men whipped about, searching for the voice.

Daredevil let his grappling hook loose and swung down to the ground. He stalked slowly toward the two. They scrambled backward, searching for any weapon to be used against this infiltrator.

In a back room of the warehouse a whole horde of mens' heads popped up as they heard the scream of their fallen comrade.

"That sounded like Brun." One man set down his hand of cards from the poker game and grabbed up his aluminum bat.

Back in the main room of the warehouse Raph and Daredevil each took one thug. Raph was playing with his while Daredevil terrorized his.

"Is this all you left to guard your goods or is this your whole gang?" Raph taunted as he parried the gangsters terrified induced blows.

The sound of many feet in a corridor heading their way greeted Raphael's ears.

"Raph we got company." Daredevil called as he knocked his thug out.

"Good. The more the merrier."

Enraged shouts came from a corridor to Raph's right as the gangsters came upon the intruders. Raph filed this information away in his head, a long corridor to the right. Daredevil also heard the shouts.

"Raph." He whispered, unsure of himself." That sounds like an awful lot of guys. Twenty or thirty at least."

"Don't sweat it D." Raph answered. "I got your back. Just keep talking to me."

"Who said I was sweating over anything?"

The first wave of guys came upon them, and Daredevil kept his cool. The overwhelming odds were taking him out of his element, but Raph seemed to be at his peak.

"Where do you think you're goin?" Raph hooked a guy by the back of his shirt with his sai as the man tried to run.

"Hey D, this guy is trying to leave the party." Raph called, provoking Daredevil to talk.

"Stick around for awhile. You just got here!" Daredevil accented his words with a punch to the gut of a hoodlum.

In his head Raph repositioned Daredevil. Using what Daredevil had taught him the night before he calculated how far Daredevil was from the corridor he had discovered. He silently filed this information away as he continued to make a crude map of the room in his head. As long as he remembered where Daredevil was in relation to the corridor, he wouldn't lose track of him and he hopefully wouldn't hit him.

Wind. He just felt the air change direction, but from where? It was too late. A brass knuckle incased fist connected solidly with his shoulder, throwing him off balance. His sai flew from his hand as his arm went numb. He ducked the next punch he knew would be coming and listened intently for the clatter of metal on concrete. Pins and needles prickled up and down his arm and he braced himself for the pain he knew would be coming. He spun on his injured hand and kicked out with both feet before the pain finally made itself known and his arm folded underneath his weight.

Before the gang had a chance to get on him Raph hopped back up to his feet. He spun and struck out with his elbow, breaking the ribs of a guy trying to grab him in a bear hug.

"How ya doin D?"

They had become separated when Raph got hit.

"Just fine Raph, but we need to finish this."

With a roar of effort Raph grabbed a guy by the shoulders and swung him around, taking him off his feet. He sent the man flying through a truck windshield. The shattering of the glass and the settling of the truck gave him another key. He added a big truck to the map in his mind.

A few feet away Daredevil struggled to keep a level head. He wasn't scared. He didn't get scared, but he was getting fidgety. He was up against quite a few more opponents than normal and all the commotion was confusing his senses. He barely blocked a strike meant to take off his head and a thug got a hit in on his back, knocking him down. He put his jo staff on the ground and did a handstand coming down hard. He knocked down a few guys as he flipped into a stand. A blur assaulted both his senses of hearing and touch. He ducked just in time. It took another millisecond before he recognized it as a man that had actually jumped at him, flying over his head. Daredevil sprung to his feet again and spun about in a circle. Attempting once again to move some of the assailants back and calm his sense. It was getting to be too much. He couldn't tell one person from another.

Somebody grabbed a hold of his leg. Daredevil tried to shake them off but something was thrust deep into his calf. He roared in pain as he kicked the guy off. Grabbing his leg, he hissed in pain. A piece of glass was embedded deep into his calf muscle. Blood seeped around the glass out of the wound. Daredevil tried to remove the glass but the second he touched it hot white pain assaulted his senses like a poker being driven through his leg.

"Hey Daredevil, you alright?" Raph called.

Raph was farther way than Daredevil thought. Daredevil started to sweat in pain. His head spun, and his breath came in short gasps as he tried to control the pain in his leg. The pain distracted him. He heard the aluminum bat coming toward him only after it was too late.

Daredevil only felt the pain for a second. With an 'uh' he fell to the ground in a heap.

Raph heard the sigh from Daredevil's lips as he lost consciousness and fell to the ground. His blood ran cold.

"Daredevil? D? Hey D you'd better answer me!" Raph called as he kept his thugs at bay.

When no answer came Raph started making his way to where he thought his friend was lying. He could hear jeers and laughs from somewhere in that direction and he could only hope his friend wasn't dead.

Raph estimated where the laughs were coming room. He took two sherikin from his belt and threw them at the voices. One voice who had just been laughing screamed. Armed with all the information he needed, Raph took the two remaining steps at a run and dove at the thug. His sai went through the fleshy part of the man's stomach. Raph flipped into a roll over the man's shoulder and heaved him up over head. Raph threw the man into a group of men standing near by.

It only took Raph a second to pull out his bo and whip it across the floor looking for his friend. Panic gripped at his stomach, but he pushed it down. A guy tried to sneak up behind him, but Raph's bo shot back and nailed him in the knee then shot up and hit him in the chin. With another sweep of his bo Raph found Daredevil's body lying on the ground. He took a step toward him, but tripped on some discarded weapon. His bo staff flew from his hand as we stumbled to catch himself. Raph cursed loudly and got to his knees, searching for his staff.

The gang members moved back, slow grins appearing on their devilish faces. A few chuckled as they watch Raph search. "He can't see a thing." One laughed. "He's blind." The man aimed a kick at Raph's exposed mid section, but Raph sensed the foot coming at him. His hands shot up. Catching the foot, he twisted violently around causing the owner to scream in pain as his knee popped out of place and he fell to the ground. While Raph was busy with that another guy tried the same move from the other side. Raph didn't sense it and the boot connected solidly with the flesh between his plastron and carapace. The kick bowled him across the room. As his roll came to a stop he rolled over something hard and rounded, his bo. Raph jumped up and fought his way back to Daredevil once again. The thugs were being more careful now, more deliberate in their attacks. Many stood back to watch while only a few tried to bring Raph to his knees.

Raph finally found Daredevil. He grabbed his shoulder and slung the unconscious form over his shell.

The panic started to well up again when he realized he forgot the way out. They had come in through a window near the rafters, and there was no way Raph was going to get back up there with Daredevil on his back. Back in his sighted days he might have, but not when he was blind and didn't remember the steps. That corridor, it was on his right if he remembered right. Maybe it let out, or wait. They had to have some way of getting that truck in there. There had to be garage doors.

Raph pulled out his bo and stashed his single sai back in his belt. He would need the staff's long reach. With one hand steadying Daredevil on his back Raph faced the gang. Their strikes were more mocking than angry now that they knew he was blind. A few guys would take swipes at him while other stood back and laughed. They closed in on him and Raph allowed them to push him back. When he felt his back his the wall he slowly inched sideways, parallel to the wall, all the while making it seem like he was backing away. Every few steps Raph would take a strike that would knowingly hit the wall. To his enemies it looked like a blind turtle trying to fight off his attackers, but to Raph it was a way of searching for the steel garage doors. Each strike told him something. Raph's hands started to sting with the vibration of wood connecting to concrete.

Bong! His bo hit off something metal, but it wasn't garage doors. It was circular by the sound of the vibration. Raph stopped. He swept his bo out, high then low, knocking a few hoodlums in the head and sweeping a few down. He listened carefully. The cylinder object was hollow. If he listened hard enough he could hear wind blowing past it. Car horns could be heard clearly honking in the night . Without a glance backward Raph threw Daredevil into what he figured was a garbage shoot leading straight to a dumpster in an alley. With another few jabs of his bo he jumped in behind him.

Raph twisted in the garbage shoot as he came flying out, hoping not to land on his already injured friend. He came shooting out of the tube in a roll. His carapace bounced off the edge of the dumpster and he skidded to a stop on the asphalt. Raph bounced to his feet, staying low he drew his sai. Knees bent, head down, he listened for the sound of anybody near by. When none came he jogged back over to the dumpster and heaved Daredevil's unconscious form from the debris. Stopping for another second, Raphael listened once again for anything resembling the sounds of a human. All he heard was Daredevil's shallow breathing.

Raph hurridly counted the steps off to the manhole he knew was in this alley. Drawing his only sai, he pried the lid open and lowered his friend into the sewers. Just as Raph stepped down and was closing the lid, he detected the sounds of angry gang members coming around the corner out of the warehouse. Raph didn't waste time climbing down the ladder. He let his body drop to the floor. Crouching down he threw Daredevil over his shoulder. He whispered a word of apology for the rough treatment and was off through the tunnels.

As Raph ran he could feel Daredevil's blood dripping down his shell and onto his legs. Raph wondered how bad his friend had been injured. His breathing was shallow but steady despite the bumping and jostling.

* * *

"Donny!" Raph screamed once he was able to take a full breath. Raph stumbled into the living room and dumped Daredevil onto the couch. 

He heard Don's lab door open.

"What?" A snort of laughter came from Don. "Raph. Is that who I think it is?"

Leo stepped out of his room and saw the red costumed figure lying unconscious on the couch. Raph leaned over, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Don't you dare even say it Don." Raph warned between gasps. "We found a gang stealing merchandise. We followed 'um back to their hideout and he got knocked out."

"But that is Daredevil right?" Don asked as he walked over.

"Yeah," he nodded.

Don noticed the piece of glass still sticking in Daredevil's leg. His eyes grew wide.

"Shit Raph! He's got a piece of glass half way in his leg!" Don sighed. "Help me get him into my lab."

By now Leo had gotten to the living room. Leo took Daredevil's feet and Don grabbed his shoulders.

Leo took a glance at Raph. He had a few cuts along his biceps and his shoulder looked like it was going to bruise pretty badly.

"You know, when you told me you were going to take on a whole gang by yourself I didn't actually believe you."

"He didn't go by himself." Don snorted. "He went with Daredevil."

Don pulled off Daredevil's mask and went to check his pupil's before he remembered he was blind. Without wasting anymore time, Don attended to the horrible leg wound. The blood had started to clot but the glass was still deeply embedded.

"You look like you got the crap beat outta you." Leo said as he touched the new nick in Raph's shell.

Raph sighed in frustration. "Leo we got a problem. They know I'm blind."

Both Don and Leo stopped their light banter.

"What?"

Raph went on explaining, feeling terribly guilty. "Daredevil was down and I was going over to him when I tripped and lost my bo. They had the fun of poking laughs at me while I looked for it and now they know I'm blind. We have to go back and make 'um think they were wrong."

No one but the Foot knew that Raph was blind. All the local gang members just thought he was the same Raph as always. Raph worked hard to keep it like that and his brothers knew why.

Leo nodded "Alright, but don't you want to get cleaned up first?"

Raph remembered about the blood all over him. "Yeah, I'll go get a shower, but we gotta leave quick. The gang was movin hideouts tonight."

* * *


	6. Where Friends Meet

Daredevil moaned as he awoke. The throbbing in his leg increased as he became more aware of his surroundings. Once he was lucid enough, Daredevil sat up and gingerly touched the wound on his leg.

"I cleaned and dressed it," Don said from the corner of the room where he sat. "I kinda had to destroy your pants to get to it. You only needed a few stiches. It wasn't really life threatening."

"Who are you?" Daredevil asked as he shifted his weight on the table.

"He's my brother." Raph said as he walked into the room. "His name is Don."

Raph had a towel in his hand and was drying off the last of the water from his shower.

"Me and my bros gotta go out and finish that gang off, but you can stay here with Master Splinter."

"That's alright." Daredevil said as he swung his legs over the end of the table and went to get up. He winced as soon as he stood and fell back onto the bed. "Or maybe I'll stay here for a little bit."

* * *

"Ow!" Mikey rubbed his cheek where he had just been hit. A dark scowl crossed his face. "Oh that's it! The gloves are coming off. No more Mr. Nice Turtle!" 

With a shout he threw himself back into the battle. Mikey dodged a strike aimed at his head. He ducked and moved in closer to his quarry.

"I really wish I didn't stop Don from coming up here. I could really use his help about now." Mikey grunted as he got bowled over by a lucky shot.

Mike stood and stomped his foot down hard, his hands at his sides in frustration.

"Cokey!" he snapped

Cokey looked over at her adopted father and gurgled. Her fur was soaked through, plastered to her body. Her long fur covered her eyes. She tossed her large head about in an effort to regain her sight.

Mike shouted as she looked over at him again. He was dripping wet with sudsy water.

"Cokey!" He shouted even louder. "You need a bath! You stink!"

He stalked forward and once again grabbed his weapon of choice, a scrub brush. "If you want to stay in the house you got to take a bath." He lectured as he scrubbed one of her paws with the brush.

Cokey jerked her paw away and flipped over to the ground on her side. She scooted along the ground, trying to rid her coat of the itchy bubbles. Mike shouted again as his arm was caught beneath her and she dragged him along.

"That's it!" Mikey grabbed the garden hose. He aimed and fired. Cokey yelped as the cool water hit her fur. After a few more minutes of struggling Mike finally got her fur clean. As soon as Mikey let her, Cokey jumped up and rolled about on the ground in an effort to get her fur dry.

"Oh come on Coke. It wasn't that bad."

He tried to reason with her as he watched her roll about. He pulled out some cheerios and Cokey immediately forgot about her unruly fur.

From the corner of his eye Mikey caught movement near the wood line. His head snapped to the right, fully aware of the fact that he and Cokey had no cover. His hands were already on his nunchaku before he even realized that the movement had been a dog. He relaxed immediately. The dog was completely black. Even from such a distance Mike could see that the dog was half starved. The ribs showed through his thin, stringy, matted coat. Mud and burs tipped the ends of his fur. The dog just sat here, staring.

Mike made kissy noises and patted his leg.

"Come 'er," he called in a higher pitch than was his normal voice.

The dog crept forward a few feet before stopping again. His ears perked forward, listening for anything dangerous. Mike called again, but the dog stayed where it was. Mikey stepped forward toward the dog. He covered half the distance before the dog stood and backed up a few steps as if to run. Mikey tried calling the dog again, but it didn't move muscle.

"Poor pup." Mike cooed. "You're nearly starved to death."

Mikey sat staring at the dog while the dog stared back at him. He snapped his fingers and ran back into the house.

Mike stepped over the wreckage that was still all through the house. He had cleaned up most of the broken glass, but the damaged furniture was still strewn about the house.

Mike opened the fridge and found nothing. He searched through all the cupboards looking for anything that a dog could eat.

Finally he found a can of canned chicken. Grabbing it and dumping it into a bowl, he jogged back outside. The dog had moved it now sat right at the door step. Mikey could see the extent of his starvation. All the dog's bones showed through its fur which was stretched tautly over its body. His shoulder blades were little more than triangles sticking up from his back behind his ears. His ribs could be seen starting three quarters down his back and ending in a thin barreled chest. Every vertebrae on his back made a bump on his fur.

Mikey crouched down. The dog backed up, but didn't run.

"Come 'er pup." Mikey cooed again. He offered the food and the dog's ears perked. It crept forward slowly. He stayed low, his head stretched out toward Mikey's hand. Mikey held completely still. Ever so slowly the dog drew closer and closer to Mikey's hand. The dog sniffed the food once, tasted it, then gobbled down the whole hand full of chicken. After he was done he searched the ground for any dropped pieces then proceeded to lick Mikey's hand clean of any juices. After this task was complete the dog followed its nose to Mikey's other hand where the bowl of chicken was still held. He nudged Mike's thumb with his nose, silently urging him to relinquish the remainder of the meat. mike chuckled at the dog's forwardness. He have him the bowl and entered the house again for a bowl of water.

Mike filled the bowl and turned to go back outside. The dog sat just a foot away on the kitchen floor, eyes hopeful. Mike looked outside, the dog had eaten all his food and slipped into the house behind Mike before the door had a chance to close. Mike chuckled.

"You sure eat fast don't you bud?" He pushed the screen door open and the dog followed him back outside. He set the bowl down and the dog lapped up the water as fast as he could.

"Take it easy bud. You drink that too fast and you'll end up puking it all back up."

Mikey lifted a hand to pat the dog's neck. The dog's hackles shot up on his neck. His shoulder moved away from Mikey's hand and growled. Mike snatched his hand away.

"Woah."

The dog went back to drinking his water like nothing happened.

By now Cokey had gotten her fur dry to her satisfaction. Dried grass bits and clods of dirt stuck to her fur. She lumbered over and noticed the new stranger.

"Cokey I don't think that's a good idea." Mike watched Cokey approaching the dog.

The dog growled at Cokey, but Cokey ignored the warning and stuck her nose in the dog's face. The dog's inquisitive nature took over and he sniffed back.

"Now how is that fair?" Mikey asked.

* * *

Raph crouched low in the shadows, his head bowed. He steadied his breathing as he listened to the chaos below. 

The gangsters had started a fight about what to do about the intruders. The fight probably started out as simple suggestions. Then they probably started the name calling. Now they were to the heavy yelling and weapon shaking phase of the fight.

Leo tapped Raph's wrist and Raph held out his hand. Leo quickly made a few signs into Raph's palm and Raph nodded. His understanding. He sensed Leo moving off into position.

It was funny. Since Raph went blind, it was Leo who tried the hardest to understand. His stubborn brother who at first seemed like he was too busy being leader to care was always the one who guided Raph or signed to him in a fight. He was always the one to call out positions to him.

Since he went blind it seemed like Leo and Raph had become better friends.

Raph listened intently to the thugs below.

"I'm telling you. We don't got nothing to worry about!" One thug yelled. That freak was blind as a bat.

"Oh I think you better start worrying about that freak." Raph growled as he jumped down form the rafters.

He glared venomously at them, his eyes mere slits as he spun his sai about. The gang just stood staring at him. The shock only lasted a second. They shouted in rage at the intruder and charged as a group. Raph turned and knocked a guy straight in the solar plexus.

He flipped over their heads and back into the shadows behind some crates.

"So which one of you stupid idiots came up with the idea that I was blind?" Raph's voice came from behind them. The gang whipped around with a start. The turtle with the red bandana stood there. The gang gasped.

"How'd you?…" One gang member sputtered.

Raph had to stifle a chuckle from his spot behind the crates. They fell for that trick every time.

From his spot in front of the gangsters Leo tried hard to maintain the Raph look. He stood with his legs apart and his arms folded. A confident angry smirk played its way across his face. Leo could see the edges of the red bandana bound around his face. He brushed off the minor annoyance and stepped forward, grabbing the nearest gangster by the shirt collar. He heaved him up and locked eyes with him. Leo held him there for a second before he sneered and threw the thug to the side.

By now the rest of the gang had recovered and attacked again. Leo knocked a great number of them down. After most of the gang members were groaning on the ground, Leo threw a smoke bomb and disappeared.

"Where'd he go?" One of the gang members shouted.

"A bunch of geniuses we've got here." Raph crouched behind the crate and threw his voice in the other direction as Donny stepped out from behind some boxes, wearing a red mask and sporting a Raphael scowl.

The gang was outraged. Donny knocked the few who were stupid enough to charge him down again. By now only a few of the gangsters were even able to get to their knees.

One tried to reach for a nearby gun. His hand stretched out across the floor. Don's heel came smashing down on his palm. He could hear a few bones crack as the man screamed. His pain filled eyes looked up into Don's merciless ones. Don growled as he looked down on him. Both their eyes flicked over to the gun. Don crouched down with his heals still on the man's hand and picked up the gun. In a few deft movements he popped out the magazine and removed the firing pin. The man below him was bellowing in pain. He swung at Don's leg with his free hand, but it was no use. Don took one last look at him before he pushed off the man's hand into a series of back flips. He landed out of sight behind some crates and smacked the ground twice, Raph's cue.

Raph sauntered out of the shadows and heaved the first guy he came to up by his collar. He had picked the guy out before he even made himself known again. He was breathing hard. One of his brothers must have hit him too hard in the chest.

Raph heaved him up and drew him close, whispering threatening tones into his ear.

"Next time I see you takin' things that aren't yours you're dead."

Raph let the man drop to the ground. He backed into the shadows behind him and disappeared.

Raph wasted no time in leaving the warehouse and escaping to the roof. Leo and Don appeared seconds later both laughing fit to burst.

"Oh man Leo did you see that guy's face?"

"I think you're getting better at the I don't give a crap Raph face." Leo chuckled at the memory of his shy brother pulling a Raph. "Raph, I think if you don't watch it Donny is going to steal your job of being hot head." Leo chuckled.

"I think they got the message." Raph counted his paces silently over to the air conditioning unit and pulled out his weapons. His sai slipped easily into his belt and he kept his bo in his hand. He handed Leo his katanas and tossed Don his bo. Don had to dive to catch it. Despite this Don smiled. He Hadn't said anything to Raph to tell him where he was and his aim wasn't that far off.

"Headed home?" Raph asked.

"We might as well. I want to check on Matt's leg." Don answered.

Leo gave Raph's shoulder a pat. "I'll race ya."

Raph chuckled and shook his head. "No thanks bro. You win. I've had enough racing about today."

* * *

Cobart growled as he threw the high tech binoculars into the passenger's seat. He picked up the news paper crossword and filled in a letter. In his neat block script he drew an E into one of the tiny boxes. Cobart scanned over the cross word. If someone took a closer look at it they would see no actual words. Random letters filled the small white spaces. Cobart growled. There were far too many vowels for his liking. 

The neighborhood this Casey Jones lived in wasn't a friendly one. Most of the people living in apartments there kept their curtains drawn tight, making it impossible for Cobart to see who lived within. When he couldn't figure out who livid in the apartment the box on the crossword signifying their home received a vowel.

Cobart leaned back, reclining the seat in his SUV as he turned his attention to the door of the apartments complex he was watching. He would have to wait until each person came out of the apartment building. After this apartment there were half a dozen more to go just in this neighborhood. He would wait though. He would wait forever for a chance to kill the turtles. He would wait and watch. When they least expected it, he would strike.

* * *

Even in the wee hours of the morning the city of New York was alive with life. People walked in their black dresses and fancy tuxes to the entry of the Broadway theater. Others in revealing leather skirts and skimpy shirts stood on street corners. The night was just beginning for these people. Down below the streets, in the city sewer system, a certain turtle was completely oblivious to the going ons of the people topside. His hand hung over the side of the hammock as he slept on his stomach. His head was cocked to the side at an odd angle and a little drool dribbled from his open mouth. 

Raph's bandanna and knee pads were dumped where he had dropped them on the corner of his night stand next to his radio. His sai had been placed more carefully on the night stand. They were laid with one hand grip in each bottom corner of the night stand for quick retrieval.

The nightlight in the far corner of the room splashed a gentle glow on Raph's face as he let out another deep snore. Soft music played barely audible from the radio.

Suddenly Raph stopped mid snore turning the sound into a sort of snort. His face twisted into a grimace, a sure sign that he was having a nightmare. It was only a few seconds before he began to twist and turn, mumbling in his sleep.

Suddenly with a shout his eyes snapped open as he shot up in bed. His breath came in ragged, angry gasps. His unseeing eyes darted back and forth. Finally he remembered where he was when he heard the familiar music coming from his stereo and saw the grey glow of the night light in the corner.

He let out a frustrated sigh and wiped the sweat from his face. He swung his legs over the side of his hammock and sat there for a moment, contemplating, before he finally hopped to the floor.

He flipped the face open on his Braille watch and felt the raised bumps. 3:00AM. It was too early to go back to sleep.

"Damn." He muttered to himself.

This was the second time in two days since Don told him Cobart was alive that he had had dreams.

Raph contemplated going down to the dojo to workout a big but his muscles were still sluggish with the need for sleep and he didn't feel like pushing them into working.

Raph let out a yawn as he turned off his radio. He detected the sounds of the downstairs TV playing low. Waving his hands back and forth before him as he walked, he made his way down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs he paused and cocked his head. One person, no wait, two people.

"I guess it's a party." Raph said as he made his way over to the couch.

"You can't sleep either?" Leo's voice came from the opposite end of the couch.

"No, I was sleeping just fine until lovely bloody images jumped into my head." Raph's tone remained calm.

Leo didn't respond to what he knew was Raph just venting.

Raph rubbed at the ugly purplish blue bruise that was forming along his shoulder.

Leo took in the rest of his brothers minor injuries. He chuckled.

"They really did beat the crap outta you."

"Hey they wouldn't have gotten quite so many hits in if I wasn't savin DD's butt over there." He noddedto where Daredevil was seated in Splinter's armchair.

He had decided by the breathing pattern that the person seated in the living room wasn't any of his family members. "How's the leg?"

"Last I checked it was still there and doing fine." A voice chuckled from the arm chair.

"Kevin?"

The man chuckled again.

"Yeah, I think that's my name."

Hey man, what are ya doin down here? It's like three in the morning."

"Well I just got back from my vacation a few hours ago. I went home and unpacked, but I'm still running on a different time table so I thought I'd make the most of my waking hours before jet lag set in. Besides, I know for a fact that you guys never sleep."

"Yeah, how was Hawaii?"

"It was good, a well needed rest from you guys." He joked. "I noticed there were a few more medical supplies missing from my office." Kevin accused.

"That would probably be my fault."

Daredevil came limping out of Don's lab. He leaned heavily on his cane as he alternately leaned heavily on his cane as he alternately swept it back and forth. With a wince he sat on the other end of the couch that Leo had just relinquished. "Are you as sore as I feel Raph?" He asked as he situated his injured leg on the coffee table before him.

"Yeah probably." He rubbed his bruised shoulder. "I got popped a good one in my shoulder. Kevin this is Dar-"

"Matt" Daredevil interrupted. "Matt Murdock."

"And uh… Matt… This is Kevin Broody. He's kinda out unofficial doctor."

"Hi," Kevin mumbled.

He immediately went from a regular friend to a shy mouse when Matt came into the room, typical Kevin.

"Sorry about the missing supplies. I'll gladly replace them. I didn't know."

"It's alright," Kevin mumbled.

"Kevin orders extra supplies for us sometimes," Leo explained. "Considering how accident prone Raph is." Leo couldn't help but add the jab at his brother.

"Accident prone? Really? Who was it that got themselves a concussion last week? I can't quite seem to remember, Leo" Raph played back.

"Hey that was only bec-"

"So how's the leg… Matt?" Raph interrupted Leo's explanation.

"'S alright. I can't put any weight on it, but it's okay."

"Well you're welcome to stay here until you feel like you can get around again."

"Yeah I'm really sorry about getting you into that fight. I really shouldn't have suggested we go in there when I know you wouldn't handle that many guys so good."

"Shell Raph, you're starting to sound like me. I have to admit though, when you said you were going to take on a whole gang by yourself I didn't take you seriously."

"You didn't think I was serious? I didn't think I was serious!" Raph retorted,

"Wait a second," Matt interrupted. "Who said I couldn't hold my own against a gang."

"I'm not even going to ask." Kevin threw up his hands, recognizing the start of a battle.


	7. Problems on the Home Front

A/N: So I have decided that my New Year's resolution is to finish this story before I am too old to type. Pretty good promise huh? Well here is the next chapter. With any luck I will have another one up within the next few weeks. Tell me what you think and let me know there are still some readers out there!

"What are you looking at?" Mikey glared at the scrawny dog. It sat across the field in the very same spot it had been before, staring right back at him. His ears stood slightly forward and his posture was relaxed but alert. "I'm not feeding you anymore. Not after you bit me." Mike rubbed his injured hand. "That hurt ya know." He added a bit more sharply.

The dog cocked his head and put a paw forward as if he was about ready to come running to Mikey.

"Oh no you don't. Come on Cokey. Let's get out of here." Mikey stood and Cokey followed him through the house and to the front porch stairs where they sat down again.

"Now what to do with you." He sighed. "I can't stay here forever and you can't stay here forever and you can't come home with me."

Cokey grunted and Mikey looked up at her. She had an old soccer ball in her mouth. "Alright give it here." He had taught her to play fetch yesterday, and now she wouldn't lay off it. He wrestled the ball from her and stood. Cokey pounded her fists to the ground in anticipation. With a grunt of effort he hefted the ball into the air and down the driveway. Cokey mewed and went charging after it. Mikey plunked his rump back on the porch step to contemplate his problem some more.

A movement caught by the corner of his eye distracted him. It was that stray dog again. His head was dipped as he lapped water from a dirty shallow puddle. As if noticing Mikey's gaze upon him, he slowly looked up. Lonely hungry eyes touched the soft part of Mikey's soul. His shoulders slumped. He went into the kitchen and reappeared a second later with the hot dogs he had been planning on saving for himself. He took one out of the package and put it in his hand. At the sight of the food the dog made a steady lope over to Mikey and ever so slowly eased the hot dog from his hand. Once the hot dog was free of Mikey's grasp the dog wolfed it down in one bite like it had never even been there. Immediately his nose shot back to Mikey's hand for more. Not finding anything worth eating in Mike's open palm, he licked the juices from each finger. By now Cokey had located the ball and was coming back with it. Upon her approach the thin dog's hackles shot up as he swung his head around to growl a mean growl at the careless trespasser. Cokey yelped and jumped back a foot. With another grunt of effort Mikey chucked the ball the whole way down the driveway. The green girl forgot her fear of the small black animal and ran off in search of her favorite toy. Mikey turned to seat himself again and discovered the dog's nose in the remainder of hi sausages.

"Hey!" He snatched them back but it was already too late for three more of the tasty treats. "I hope you're happy," he muttered to the dog who was trying to climb over him to get at the bratwurst. "That was supposed to be my dinner breakfast and lunch for today AND tomorrow."

Mikey stared down at his two remaining hotdogs.

The dog whimpered and pawed at his leg.

"You're the bold one aren't you? Is this the same dog who tried to take off my hand when I got too close?" He taunted.

The dog lunged at the package still clutched in Mikey's hand, but he was no match for the ninja turtle.

"Unless you have an idea about what to do with Cokey when I leave I don't want to hear it," Mike told the mutt.

The lumbering beast came back to the porch and Mike launched the ball into the air again. He smacked it with his fist, sending it even farther than before. With a shout of joy, Cokey was gone again.

Mike sighed and sat on the step again to contemplate his problem once more.

The dog next to him grumbled and crawled low to the ground in another attempt to get under Mike's elbow for the two remaining treasures of yummy goodness. He pawed and nosed but the turtle wasn't giving in.

Suddenly he stopped and raised his head, his ears perked forward then back as he lay still as stone.

Mikey noticed the sudden change of behavior and turned to look at him.

"Is this like a Lassie thing?" He asked the dog as he tried to see what he was seeing. The dog rose to his feet. His body leaned forward in a ready position. Ready to attack, or ready to run, Mikey wasn't sure. Finally just as Mike was starting to think the dog was psychotic he spotted the problem. A little red mini van was making it's way up the driveway. His heart skipped a beat. He jumped up and dashed inside the house, hoping that the occupants of the van missed his retreating green shell.

Turning on a pin point the dog scuttled after the green man who was running away with his hotdogs.

Once inside the house, Mikey watched as the van pulled up and parked. A little girl got out with who appeared to be her mother. The little girl wore a uniform and a brown sash. The Girl Scouts?

Instantly Mikey's mind started running through the scenarios. He could just pretend there was no one home. This idea was sounding rather good to him until he saw the little girl's eyes. They were full of hope as she clutched the order form tightly in her little hands. Besides, the thought of cookies made his stomach growl. With a sigh he trudged up the stairs to get his topside clothes.

The little girl stood outside on the porch reaching up on her tippie toes trying to reach the doorbell. Even with the extra effort, her mother had to lift her a few inches off the ground to reach the buzzer.

The little girl waited and waited and waited for what seemed like forever for the door to open. Finally the knob turned and there stood a figure dressed rather heavily for being inside. His head was covered with a stocking cap and oddly enough he wore sunglasses.

"Oh I'm sorry." The mother said. "Mrs. Jones used to live here and she always bought cookies from Tasha for Girl Scouts.

"Cookies!? I love cookies." Mike's mind was only on food after that mutt stole his hot dogs. "I love cookies! How much?"

"Three dollars." The girl said matter of factly as she presented Mike with the order form.

Mike felt about for some money but he came up with nothing.

"I'm sure I have some money in the house. Hold on I'll be right back." Mikey went dashing back into the house looking desperately for any stray nickels and dimes. He looked in the couch cushions, on top of the fridge, and in the freezer. Finally he found enough change on corner counter tops to meet the little girl's price.

As he ran back outside he noticed something off to his left. It was Cokey coming back with her soccer ball. Immediately he felt like panicking.

"Oh look at that. I only have a five. Let's go see if we can find any change." He motioned for them to come in even as he took a glance at Cokey lumbering toward them.

"Oh don't worry. I can break that. I have change in my car."

"No, wait don't!" Mike tried to keep her from turning but once she did it was almost impossible to miss the lump of fur and muscle coming at them from the open field.

Automatically by instinct the mother called her girl over and picked her up. Her eyes stayed transfixed on what she saw as a beast. She took a few steps backward as if preparing to run, but failed to complete the action.

"Wait wait! It's okay! She's friendly."

Mike held out his hands. He stepped in front of the mother and he little girl. The mother stood frozen with fear. Mike stepped off the porch and clapped his hands.

"Come 'er Cokey."

Cokey grabbed the ball up she had been playing with and ran over to Mike as fast as her lumbering body could carry her. Mike gave her a pat on the head and Cokey leaned toward him, begging to be petted more.

The little girl in her mother's arms long got over her surpise. She reached a hand out as she stretched toward Cokey.

"She's pretty Momma."

The mom pushed her girl's hand back, not allowing her any closer to the creature.

"Why isn't she attacking you?"

She asked as Mikey continued stroking Cokey's long green fur.

"Well first of all _her _name is Cokey and she's a girl. She's only a kid. Here." Mikey pulled out a handful of Cheerios and gave them to the mother.

Cokey's long neck snaked out as she gently probed for the food. The mother tensed as she came near.

"It's okay. She won't hurt you."

The mother's hand shook so hard that some of the cheerios tumbled to the ground. Cokey, seeming to sense this, advanced with utmost caution. She gently nudged the mother's finger aside as she searched for the tasty treats.

"Her mother and sister were killed. My family helped me raise her." Mikey tried to reassure her. "She would never hurt anybody."

Mikey took the mother's trembling hand into his own and placed it on Cokey's head. If it was possible, she began to shake even more.

"She's an orphan."

Cokey titled her head up a little, urging the mother to pet some more.

"She doesn't have a momma?" Tasha asked as she attempted once again to place her hand on the long green fur.

This seemed to flip a switch in the mother. She blinked and the trembling eased in her hands as she stroked the back of Cokey's neck.

"No. No she doesn't…how old is she?" The mother asked.

"She's three maybe four. She's still a little kid. She likes Cheerios a little too much and now people are trying to kill her. I came up here to make sure she didn't get hurt, but now I have to go back home to my own family and she can't come with me.

"Can she do any tricks?" Tasha asked as she cocked her head to the side with a smile.

"Oh you bet. Watch this," Mikey smiled as picked up the soccer ball.

* * *

_I haven't been head bashing with Raph in forever. _Casey thought as he strode across an open rooftop.

They were still best friends. Casey still tinkered in the garage with Raph just as much as before, but after Raph went blind it seemed like he lost his need to pulverize goon skull. It had to have been at least two months since they had gone out looking for trouble together.

Casey's head snapped up as he heard the familiar sound of trashcans falling over. A harshly whispered curse told him something more than a stray cat was in the next alley.

The night was slow though so he decided to investigate.

He headed for the fire escape, making his way down to the street before venturing any closer to the alley. Casey may hang out with ninjas, but even he knew he was no good at the stealthy tick to the shadows stuff.

He pulled down his mask as he rounded the corner and was greeted with a scene he enjoyed just a little too much.

A large goon was giving his best shot at picking a lock to the back entrance of a jewelry store. His clean shaven head was turned away from Casey as he worked deligently at the door knob. Casey figured he would never get in at the pace he was going, but a criminal was a criminal and he should probably be taught a lesson.

"This is why they say to go to college. If it turns out you're not a good thief then you have something to fall back on." Casey announced his presence as he pulled his favorite hockey stick from his bag.

The man started and then straightened up. Casey tapped his hockey stick in his hand as he patiently waited for the presumed drunk to turn around.

With a sniff and a drag of his hand across his nose, the punk slowly turned to face Casey.

Casey's mouth hit the floor.

Cobart chuckled.

"The military is the way to go."

"Cobart! Hey you are supposed to be dead." Casey shook his hockey stick at him.

With another gravelly chortle Cobart shrugged.

"Had to come back and finish the job."

In a flash Cobart turned and pulled his favorite hunting knife from his belt. Throwing it by its blade, he neatly pinned Casey to the wall before the vigilante could do a thing.

Casey cried out as the blade pierced his shoulder. Cobart strode over and with a quick jab of his rifle knocked Casey out.

"And you're going to be the bait."

Cobart yanked his blade from Casey's shoulder and strode out of the alley. An old lady waited for him.

"You know what to do."

"Yes sir."

"Good. Get going."

* * *

"You could still stay here if you want you know," Don told Matt as he packed up his stuff to go topside.

"I appreciate the offer, but after a day and a half I'm sure my friend will be worrying."

"Well here." Don handed him a pair of crutches. "Use these for a little while at least."

"Again, not that I don't appreciate the help, but I'm not that short." He demonstrated by settling his six foot frame onto the crutches. His knees almost touched the ground even with his legs bent. "I'm fine to walk." He said again for the fifth time that morning.

"Really Don," Raph said as he entered the room. "Lay off already. It's just a scratch."

"With muscle damage, significant blood loss, and a concussion," Don countered. "Raph and I will walk you topside at least."

"Fine. I'll settle for that."

They headed toward the door, but the ringing of the phone stopped them before they reached their destination.

"I got it." Raph said as he stepped over to answer the device. "Hello? Are you serious?" Raph almost started to laugh, but didn't. "Well what do you expect me to do about it? Alright. Alright! Don't give yourself a heart attack. We'll figure something out."

Raph hung up the phone as he shook his head.

"Casey got arrested. He's in the slammer."


	8. Ut Oh

A/N Hey guys. Long time no talk! Well, I haven't forgotten about this story. Turns out college is a lot busier than I thought it would be and writing like I used to just isn't feasible. I have vowed to finish this story and finish I shall.

Recap: Raph got some sight back from his surgery performed by Kevin. In bright enough light he can now see large objects in shades of grey. He is still legally blind. Raph became buddies with Daredevil who is in Raph's part of town helping to clean up crime. Mikey is out in North Hampton looking for Cokey since she has been spotted by some of the towns people. Raph and Daredevil got in a fight where Daredevil got injured so Raph brought him home. Mikey found Cokey along with a stray dog, and Cokey has been discovered by a mother and her young daughter selling girl scout cookies.

On with the story!

* * *

"Casey got arrested. He is in the slammer."

Don's head shot up from where he was rummaging around for his topside clothes. "What! How did that happen?"

Raph shrugged. "I donno. He just called me and said he's in a bit of a mess. I suppose we should call April, and figure out a way to get him out of there. He is being held on charges for vigilantism." Don put a hand to his face as he let out a sigh.

"Raph that is more serious than it sounds. He can be charged for any number of things from assault with a deadly weapon to attempted murder. Once the street gangs hear about this they are going to be crawling out of the wood work to lay blame and say that Casey attacked them too just so that they can be rid of him when he gets life behind bars!" Don changed direction. Instead of putting on his topside clothes he moved to his computer and started typing. His thick fingers flew over the keyboard with surprising precision as he pulled up a number of files. "This is bad. We have to do something for him quick or else he is going to spend some quality time learning how to play Pea knuckle with all the scum he helped put in prison."

* * *

Casey sat with his head pressed against the cool steal table, his hands cuffed in front of him on his lap. His damaged shoulder had been stitched and bandaged, but he still wore the bloodied and torn shirt. He leaned back in the equally cold steal chair and placed his hands to his face before stretching them above his head, his eyes closed.

What did he do? He had gotten himself into some real trouble here. He had never been arrested before, at least not for his night job. Now Cobart was on the loose somewhere in town, and Casey was stuck here in this police station.

A lock clicked in the door behind him and Casey turned to see two police officers enter the room.

"Aw shit." He lowered his head to the table again on top of his folded arms. "This is gonna be bad."

"Damn straight Jones. You have got yourself into one hell of a pickle." The first officer said. He was as tall as he was round, slightly balding and obviously past his prime. The man still held an inner toughness despite letting himself go on the outside. He may have been past his days of active duty on the streets, but it was evident he still remembered those days of glory.

"The best thing you can do for yourself is just tell us the whole story." The second officer said as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

"I don't have anything to say." Casey stared at the second officer, a much younger, harder fellah, though still new and naïve to the force as it appeared he did not know of Casey and his reputation.

"Look," The first officer moved to the wall with the two way mirror and leaned against it. "I understand what you are tryin to do Casey. We all knew and respected your dad, but you've taken it too far. Acting out a revenge plot for most of your adult life on crooks that probably had nothing to do with his death? Your dad protected this neighbor, but you are destroying it. You just can't get away with that Casey."

Casey sat up and looked the officer right in the eye. "This isn't about me man."

"Then why don't you tell me Casey. Tell me what all of this is about."

Casey sighed. "I can't. It's more complicated than I can even say, but you gotta let me outta here now Mick. If you don't some friends of mine are gonna die, and I can't let that happen."

Mick shook his head as he sat next to the now silent younger officer. "This isn't about unpaid parking tickets Casey. This is about attempted murder. I can't just snap my fingers and release you. You knew you had this coming."

"Mick. Don't you understand? I wasn't trying to break into the warehouse. I was trying to stop a robbery, and I know the guy doin the robbing. He wants my friends dead and I know I'm in here so that I can't do a damn thing about it."

"The best thing you can do for your friends right now is tell us everything and hope for the best."

"I can't!" Casey yelled as he stood up and slammed his fists against the table.

"Why not!" Mick demanded equally as loud.

"If I do, they die. If I don't, they die, but I ain't tellin you everythin I did cuz that's worse than letting um fend for themselves!"

The door swung open.

"Don't say another word Casey. As Casey's, lawyer I demand a minute alone with my client to discuss his situation."

Casey looked up as Mick also turned around to look at the blind lawyer.

"Who the Hell are you?" Casey asked.

"Matt Murdock, your legal counsel, and I advise you not to say another word until this kind gentlemen have left Mr. Jones."


End file.
